U.  S.  DEPARTMENT   OF    AGRICULTURE. 

OFFICE  OF  EXPERIMENT  STATIONS     BULLETIN  NO.  134. 


STORAGE  Of  WATERS 
AM)  BKi  TIIO 


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#CUm£nTSL  &fpT 


U.S.  DEPOSITORY 


C.  E.  TAIT. 


i--/v/'.l.V7'  7.V   IRRIGATION   INVESTIGATIONS. 


WASHINGTON': 

GOVKitxMK,;T    im:i\tix(;    office. 


Bui. 

81. 

Bui. 

86. 

Bui. 

87. 

Bui. 

90. 

Bui. 

92. 

LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  OFFICE  OF  EXPERIMENT  STATIONS  ON 

IRRIGATION." 

Bui.    :;»i.  Notes  (»u  Irrigation  in  Connecticut  and  New  .Jersey.     By  C.  S.  Phelps  and 

E.  B.  Voorhees.     Pp.  #4,     Price.  10  cents, 
Bui.     58.    Water  Rights  on  the  Missouri  River  and  its  Tributaries.      ByElwood  Mead. 

Pp.  80.     Price,  10  cents. 
Bui.    60.  Abstract  of  Laws  for  Acquiring  Titles  to  Water  from  the  Missouri  River  and 

its  Tributaries,  with  the  Legal  Forms  in  [Jse.    Compiled  bytllwbod  Mead. 

Pp.  77.     Price,  10  cents. 
Bui.    70.  Water-Right  Problems  of  Pear  River.    By.  Clarence T.  Johnston  and  Joseph 

A.  Breckons.      Pp.  40.      Price,   15  cents. 
Bui.    7'A.  Irrigation  m  the  Rocky  Mountain  States.    liy  J.  ('.  Ulrich.    Pp.64.    Price, 
.  10  cents. 
The  Use  of  Water  in  Irrigation  in  AVyoming.     By  P>.  C.  Puffuin.     Pp.  66. 

Price,  10  cents. 
The  Use  of  Water  in  Irrigation.     Report  of  investigations  made  in    L809, 

under  the  supervision  of  Elwood  Mead,  expert  in  charge,  and  C.  T.  John- 
ston, assistant.     Pp.  253.     Price,  30  cents. 
Irrigation  in  New  Jersey.    By  Edward  B.  Voorhees.     Pp.  40.    Price,  5  cents. 
Irrigation  in  Hawaii.     By  Walter  Maxwell.     Pp.  48.     Price,  10  cents. 
The  Reservoir  System  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley.     By  E.  S.  Xettleton. 

Pp.  48.     Price,  15  cents. 
Bui.    96.  Irrigation  Laws  of  the  Northwest  Territories  of  Canada  and  Wyoming,  with 

Discussions  by  J.   S.   Dennis,  Fred  Bond,  and  J.  M.  Wilson.     Pp.   90. 

Price,  10  cents. 
Bui.  100.  Report  of  Irrigation  Investigations  in  California,  under  the  direction  of 

Elwood  Mead,  assisted  by  William  E.  Smythe,  Marsden  Manson,  .1.  M. 

Wilson,  Charles  D.  Marx,  Frank  Seule,  C.  E.  Grunsky,  Edward  M.  1 ! 

and  James  D.  Schuyler.     Pp.  411.     Price,  cloth,  $1.25;  paper,  00  cents. 
Bui.  104.  The  Use  of  Water  in  Irrigation.     Report  of  investigations  made  in  1900, 

under  the  supervision  of  Elwood  Mead,  expert  in  charge,  and  C.  T. 

Johnston,  assistant.     Pp.  334,     Price,  50  cents. 
Bui.  105.  Irrigation  in  the  United  States.     Testimony  of  Elwood.  Mead,  irrigation 

expert  in  charge,  before  the  United  States  Industrial  Commission  June 

11  and  12,  1901.     Pp.  47.     Price,  15  cents. 
Bui.  108.  Irrigation  Practice  among  Fruit  Growers  on  the  Pacific  Coast.     By  E.  J. 

Wickson.     Pp.  54.     Price,  15  cents. 
Bui.  113.  Irrigation  of  Rice  in  the  United  States.     By  Frank  Bond  and  George  II. 

Keeney.     Pp.  77.     Price,  30  cents. 
Bui.  118.  Irrigation  from  Big  Thompson  River.     By  John  E.  Field.     Pp.  75.     Price, 

10  cents. 
Bui.  119.  Report  of  Irrigation  Investigations  for  1901,  under  the  direction  of  Elwood 

Mead,  chief.     Pp.  401.     Price,  50  cents. 

[Continued  ou  third  page  of  cover.] 

"For  those  publications  to  which  a  price  is  affixed  application  should  be  made  to 
the  Superintendent  of  Documents,  Union  Building,  Washington,  D.  C,  the  officer 
designated  by  law  to  sell  Government  publications. 


MAP 

I  CACHE  LA  POITDRE 


U.  S.' DEPARTMENT   OF   AGRICULTURE, 

OFFICE  OF  EXPERIMENT  STATIONS     BULLETIN  NO.  134. 


\     <       rRUE,  Directoi 


STORAGE  OF  WATER  ON  CACHE  LA  PODDRE 
AND  BIG  THOMPSON  RIVERS. 


C.  E.  T^lIT, 


ASSISTANT  IN   IRRIGATION  INVESTIGATIONS 


WASHINGTON: 

GOVERNMENT     PRINTING     OFFICE 

L9  03. 


'/ 


OFFICE  OF  EXPERIMENT  STATIONS. 

A.  C.  True,  Ph.  D.,  Director. 

E.  W.  Allen,  Ph.  D.,  Assistant  Director. 

IRRIGATION    INVESTIGATIONS. 

Elwood  Mead.  Chief. 

C.  T.  Johnston,  Assistant  Chief  in  Charge  of  Central  District. 

Samuel  Fortier,  Irrigation  Engineer  in  Charge  of  Pacific  District. 

C.  G.  Elliott,  Agent  and  Expert  in  Charge  of  Drainage  Investigations. 
E.  P.  Teele,  Editorial  Assistant. 

C.  E.  Tait.  Assistant  in  Charge  of  Maps  and  Illustrations. 
2 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 


U.  S.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Office  of  Experiment  Stations, 

Washington,  D.  C,  August  1,  1903. 
Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  herewith  and  to  recommend  for 
publication  as  a  bulletin  of  this  Office  a  report  on  the  storage  of  water 
on  the  Cache  la  Poudrc  and  Big  Thompson  rivers  in  northern  Colorado, 
prepared  under  the  direction  of  Prof.  Elwood  Mead,  chief  of  irriga- 
tion investigations,  by  C.  E.  Tait,  assistant  in  these  investigations. 
Respectfully, 

A.  C.  True, 

Director. 
Hon.  James  Wilson, 

Secretary  of  Agriculture. 

3 


ETTER  OF  SUBMITTAL 


U.  s.  Department  of  Agriculture, 

Office  of  Experiment  Stations, 

Irrigation  Investigations, 
Washington^  D.  C.%  August  L  1903. 

Sir:  1  have  the  honor  to  submit  for  publication  a  report  on  the 
storage  of  water  on  the  Cache  la  Poudre  and  Bio-  Thompson  rivers, 
prepared  by  Mr.  C.  E.  Tait,  assistant  in  irrigation  investigations.  The 
ground  covered  by  this  report  has  been  partly  gone  over  in  previous 
reports  of  this  Office,  but  the  supply  of  some  of  these  reports  has 
been  exhausted  and.  moreover,  considerable  progress  has  been  made 
since  their  publication;  it  has,  therefore,  seemed  advisable  to  issue 
a  bulletin  showing  the  results  of  a  more  thorough  study  of  these  val- 
leys with  reference  to  the  storage  of  water  and  the  use  of  the  stored 
water  in  irrigation,  going  more  fully  into  methods  and  details  of  con- 
struction than  in  the  former  bulletins,  and  giving  much  new  data 
regarding  the  crop  returns  which  are  directly  attributable  to  the  use 
of  stored  water. 

Northern  Colorado  is  one  of  the  most  advanced  agricultural  sections 
in  the  arid  region,  and  the  value  of  water  has  led  to  the  construction  of 
reservoirs  to  store  all  the  water  the  streams  supply  in  ordinary  year-, 
and  also  of  what  may  be  termed  ;t flood  reservoirs."  to  catch  the 
occasional  Hoods  which  visit  the  valleys.  This  work  has  all  been  done 
by  the  farmers  living  in  the  valleys  and  has  been  extremely  profitable, 
as  is  shown  by  the  report.  As  development  proceeds  similar  condi- 
tions will  arise  in  other  parts  of  the  West,  and  the  experience  gained 
in  Colorado  will  be  suggestive  and  helpful  to  irrigators  in  the  newer 
districts. 

Respectfully.  Elwood  Mead, 

Chief  of  Irrigation  Investigations. 

Dr.  A.  C.  True,  Director. 


CONTENTS. 


Introduction 1  • 

( lharacter  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  and  Big  Thompson  rivers 12 

The  necessity  for  storage 16 

Reservoirs  on  Cache  la  Poudre  River L8 

Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir L8 

Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir 22 

Windsor  Reservoir 25 

'Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company's  system 28 

Rocky  Ridge  Reservoir 29 

Reservoirs  Nos.  2  and  3 31 

Reservoir  No.  4 31 

Long  Pond  Reservoir > 31 

Lindenmeier  Lake 32 

Curtis  Lake 32 

Chambers  Lake 32 

Operation  of  the  system 33 

North  Poudre  Irrigation  Company's  system 37 

Reservoir  No.  1 38 

Reservoir  No.  2 38 

Reservoir  No.  3 39 

Reservoir  No.  4 39 

Reservoir  No.  5 39 

Reservoir  No.  6 40 

Reservoirs  Nos.  7  and  8 •    40 

Reservoir  No.  9 41 

Reservoir  No.  11 41 

Coal  Creek  Reservoirs 41 

Reservoir  No.  15 41 

Fossil  Creek  Reservoir 41 

Operation  of  the  system 46 

Douglas  Reservoir 49 

Warren  Lake  Reservoir 51 

Claymore  Lake  Reservoir 51 

Windsor  Lake  Reservoir 51 

Wood  Reservoir 52 

Lake  Lee 52 

Proposed  reservoirs 53 

Poudre  Valley  site 53 

Link  Lake  sites 54 

Sand  Creek  site 54 

Nun  Creek  site 54 

Seeleys  Lake  site 54 

Reservoirs  on  Big  Thompson  River 55 

Lake  Loveland 55 

Consolidated  Home  Supply  Ditch  and  Reservoir  Company's  system 62 

Lone  Tree  Reservoir 62 

Mariano  Reservoir 64 

Home  Supply  Dam 65 

Operation  of  the  system 67 


CONTENTS. 

rvoire  od  Big  Thompson  River    Continued. 

Seven  Lakes  Reservoir 

Loveland  Lake  Reservoir 72 

Welch  Reservoirs 73 

Big  Cut  Reservoir 75 

Lawn  Reservoir 75 

Little  Tin  -in  j '-"ii  Reservoir 7«> 

Ish  Lake  Reservoir 78 

( >ther  reservoirs  on  the  Big  Thompson 78 

Risl  Reservoir 79 

Reservoirs  filled  from  Handy  I >it <-l i ^> 

I  [ummel  Reservoir 

I  te  France  Reserve  >ir BO 

Beasley  Reservoir 

Welch  Lake  Reservoir 81 

Hupp  Lake  Reservoir sl 

Smith-Welty  Reservoir 81 

Pagan  Reservoir 81 

Vogl  Reservoir 81 

M'Coy  Reservoir 81 

Jansen  Reservoir 81 

Wilson  Reservi  »ir 82 

Wilson-Strever  Reserv<  >ir 

Loveland  Lateral  Reservoir 

Kee  Reservoir 82 

Iluppe  Reservoir 82 

Reservoirs  tilled  from  Louden  Canal 83 

Fairport  Lake  Reservoir 83 

Big  Thompson  Reservoir 83 

Nelson  Reservoirs  Nos,  1  and  2 

Benson  Reservoir 84 

P.ental  Reservoir 84 

Darroogh  Reservoir s4 

Reservoirs  rilled  from  Loveland  and  ( ireeley  Canal 84 

Dawkins  Reservoir .  S4 

Steele  &  Phillips  Reserv<  »ir 84 

Sheep  Draw  Reservoir 84 

Bartel  Reservoir 84 

Reservoirs  tilled  from  Home  Supply  Canal 

Shay  Reservoir v"> 

Chapman  Reservoir 85 

Reservoirs  along  the  Little  Thompson 85 

White- Butler  Reservoir 85 

Culver  Reservoir 85 

Knaus  Reservoir 

Proposed  works S6 

Boyd  Lake  site 86 

Willow  Park  site 87 

Four  Lakes  site 87 

Mud  Lake  site. 88 

Other  pn  -posed  sites 88 

Construction  work 89 

Laws  governing  st<  »rage  and  exchange  of  water 93 

Summary  of  results. : 94 

Conclusions 100 


ILLUSTRATIONS. 


PLATES. 

Page. 

Pi  \  i  !•:  I.  Map  showing  reservoirs  on  Cache   la  Poudre  and   Big  Thompson 

rivers Frontispiece. 

II.  Fig.  1. — Piling  and  riprapping  on  embankment  of  Cache  la  Poudre 
Reservoir.  Fig.  2. — Masonry  gate  well,  Larimer  and  Weld 
Reservoir 20 

III.  Fig.  1. — Outlet  and    brush   riprapping  on   embankment,    Windsor 

Reservoir.     Fig.  2. —Head  works  of  Poudre  Valley  Canal,  inlet  to 
Douglas  Reservoir 28 

IV.  Wash-way  and  outlet  gates  of  Chambers  Lake,  east  end  of  embank- 

ment at  extreme  left 32 

V.  Dam  and  upper  end  of  outlet,  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir 44 

TEXT  FIGURES. 

Fig.    1.  Cross  section  of  masonry  arch  outlet  of  Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir 19 

2.  Design  <  >f  gate  used  at  Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir 20 

.">.   I  >esign  of  outlet  of  Rocky  Ridge  Reservoir 30 

4.  Cast-iron  pipe  outlet  of  North  Poudre  Reservoir  No.  2,  with  concrete 

bed  and  collars 38 

5.  I  )esign  i  >f  dam  and  outlet  of  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir 42 

6.  Design  of  dam  and  outlet  of  Lake  Loveland 56 

7.  Design  of  lifting  apparatus  used  at  Lake  Loveland  and  Mariano  reser- 

voirs    58 

8.  Design  of  Home  Supply  Dam 1 66 

9.  Cross  section  of  dam  of  Lawn  Reservoir 75 

10.  Cross  sections  of  earthen  embankments  in  Cache  la  Poudre  and  Big 

Thompson  valleys 90 

9 


STORAGE  OF  WATER  ON  CACHE  LA  POUDRE  AND 
BIG  THOMPSON  RIVERS. 

By  C.  E.  Tait, 
Assistant  in  Irrigation  Investigations. 

INTRODUCTION. 

The  purpose  of  this  report  is  to  show  the  success  and  value  of 
storage  works,  constructed  by  private  capital  and  operated  as  private 
enterprises,  and  to  describe  the  methods  employed  in  their  operation 
in  order  to  encourage  and  aid  the  further  extension  of  this  form  of 
irrigation  development. 

With  the  exception  of  the  fruit  districts  in  southern  California, 
probably  in  no  place  is  there  as  scientific  and  profitable  a  use  of  the 
water  available  for  irrigation  as  in  parts  of  Colorado.  A  study  has 
been  made  of  the  storage  on  two  streams  in  the  north-central  portion 
of  the  State — the  Cache  la  Poudre  and  Big  Thompson  rivers — where  an 
advanced  stage  of  development  has  been  reached.  At  present  nearly 
all  the  water  of  these  two  streams  not  used  for  direct  irrigation  is 
stored,  and  if  progress  continues  for  a  few  years  practically  all  of  it 
will  be  used.  This  has  been  effected  l)3r  the  construction  of  numerous 
reservoirs,  comparatively  small  or  medium  in  size,  entirely  with  pri- 
vate capital,  by  the  irrigators  themselves,  who  now  control  and  oper- 
ate their  own  works. 

The  aim  of  the  report  is  to  show  how  the  farmers  proceeded  and  to 
present  the  faults  and  merits  of  their  plans  as  brought  out  by  the  test 
of  usage,  that  their  experience  may  benefit  others  in  similar  under- 
takings. The  more  general  and  popular  questions  of  storage  have 
been  much  discussed,  but  with  little  reference  to  the  details  of  con- 
struction and  operation.  An  attempt,  therefore,  was  made  to  collect 
information  regarding  all  the  details  of  construction,  the  dimensions  of 
dams  and  outlets,  the  efficiency  of  the  works,  and  the  legal  conditions 
of  storage,  which  might  be  of  value  to  those  unfamiliar  with  such 
work. 

The  results  in  agricultural  products  for  the  seasons  of  1901  and  1902 
are  reported.  The  crops  of  the  former  year  were  slightly  above  the 
average,  while  those  of  the  latter  were  belowT  it  on  account  of  one  of 
the  smallest  water  supplies  of  which  there  is  any  record,  and  other 

11 


12 

unfavorable  conditions.  When  considered  together,  the  results  of  the 
two  seasons  give  at  least  a  conservative  idea  of  the  value  of  the  reser- 
voirs of  northern  (  olorado. 

Only  the  larger  and  more  important  reservoirs  on  the  (ache  la 
Poudre  are  described,  but  all  on  the  Big  Thompson,  regardless  of 
size,  were  included  in  the  investigation.  While  the  small  reservoirs 
owned  by  one  or  more  farmers  are  not  specially  interesting  studied 
individually,  when  considered  together  the}r  show  the  great  extent  to 
which  they  are  used  and  how  they  serve  the  needs  of  the  irrigator-. 
That  practical  irrigators  should  use  this  only  partially  satisfactory 
means  of  securing  late  water  where  there  are  no  suitable  sites  for 
larger  reservoirs  supplementing  the  whole  system  is  in  itself  convinc- 
ing evidence  of  the  value  of  stored  water. 

CHARACTER    OF    THE    CACHE    LA    POUDRE    AND    BIG  THOMPSON 

RIVERS. 

The  Cache  la  Poudre  and  Big  Thompson  rivers  are  the  most  impor- 
tant tributaries  of  the  South  Platte  River.  They  drain  a  portion  of 
north-central  Colorado.  The  former  drains  about  1,000  square  miles 
in  the  mountainous  region  east  of  the  Medicine  Bow  and  Laramie 
ranges  and  the  latter  about  600  square  miles  between  the  foothills  and 
the  Continental  Divide.  In  the  mountainous  district  the  main  streams 
are  made  up  of  innumerable  streams,  but  there  are  few  tributaries  of 
importance  east  of  the  foothills.  The  headwaters  of  the  Cache  la 
Poudre  are  divided  into  three  large  branches — the  Middle,  North,  and 
South  forks.  What  is  known  as  the  Big  South  Poudre  is  an  impor- 
tant stream  entering  the  Middle  Fork,  below  Chambers  Lake.  The 
Big  Thompson  is  formed  by  the  North  and  South  forks,  the  latter 
receiving  Fall  River.  The  Little  Thompson  enters  the  Big  Thompson 
a  few  miles  above  where  the  latter  enters  the  South  Platte  and  is  prac- 
tically an  independent  stream  as  regards  irrigation,  for  there  are  no 
ditches  of  importance  below  the  junction.  The  Little  Thompson  is 
small  and  no  measurements  are  made  on  it  by  the  State.  Its  flow  dur- 
ing the  summer  is  made  up  mainly  from  seepage  from  the  lands 
irrigated  from  the  Big  Thompson. 

Both  rivers,  receiving  their  waters  from  the  snows  in  the  mountains, 
are,  like  all  streams  of  this  character,  subject  to  great  fluctuation. 
The  following  tables  give  the  average  daily  discharges  of  the  two 
streams  for  the  years  1901  and  1902  and  the  average  monthly  dis- 
charges for  the  years  1895  to  1902,  inclusive.  The  measurements  for 
the  }Tears  1901  and  1902  were  furnished  by  the  water  commissioners 
on  the  streams,  while  the  average  monthly  discharges  for  former  years 
were  obtained  from  the  reports  of  the  State  engineer. 


13 


Discharge  of  Cache  la  Poudre  River  in  1901. 


Day. 

March. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

August 

Septem 

l>.r. 

October. 

Novem- 
ber. 

1 

Cu.  fed 

96 
99 
99 
79 

so 
109 

109 
108 

110 
110 

95 
100 
100 
100 
101 

96 
101 
106 
106 
106 
106 
106 
101 
101 
102 
107 
112 
112 
107 
117 
•  127 

Cu.feet 

in  r  sec. 

122 

127 
127 
142 
132 
117 
160 
160 
165 
208 
190 
206 
190 
190 
190 
190 
190 
205 
226 
225 
315 
390 
475 
575 
575 
550 
560 
560 
590 
710 

Cu.  feet 

in  r  8(  C. 

700 

790 

717 
649 
667 

771 
737 

7:::. 

1,097 
1,182 
1,217 

1,352 
1,590 
L,740 
1,975 
2,180 
2,410 
2,620 
3,850 
5, 100 
2,460 
2,008 
2,236 
2, 321 
2,422 
2,500 
2, 570 
2, 216 
2, 574 

Cu.  feet 

in  r  si  c. 
2,  1 19 
2,263 
2, 199 
2,010 
1,870 
l .  875 
1,733 
1,904 
2,240 
2,060 
2,135 
1 .  86 1 
1,753 
1,823 
2, 127 
2, 123 
2,049 
1,940 
1,970 
1,913 
1,997 
2,087 
2, 144 
2, 136 
2, 065 
1,795 
1,675 
1,575 
1,497 
1,362 

Cu.  /"i 

jn  r  si  C. 
1,268 
1 ,  27  l 
1,271 
1,140 
999 
92  I 

Mil 

711 
031 
965 
812 
887 
727 
297 
667 
695 
508 
495 
494 
465 
408 
400 
378 
362 
357 
458 
410 
400 
308 
352 
332 

in.  (>>t 
in  r  sec. 
306 
:;n7 
295 
296 
298 
286 
337 
874 
112 
372 
363 
341 
300 
295 
252 
243 
229 
258 
225 
317 
245 
243 
232 
210 
215 
210 
236 
200 
25 1 
249 
25 1 

Cu.  feet 

in  r  sec. 
256 
212 
212 
237 
220 
171 
179 
199 
183 
184 
179 
173 
169 
168 
L54 
125 
127 
136 
135 
136 
121 
131 
120 
125 
113 
118 
113 
100 
106 
109 

Cu.feei 

in  r  si  C 
106 

in:; 
inl 

101 

1(10 

ins 
109 
130 
149 
136 
111 
138 
116 
106 
109 
109 
109 
110 
114 
118 
111 
104 
112 
111 
109 
110 
111 
105 
112 
109 

Cu.feet 

in  r  si  C. 
Ill 
111 

3        

112 

1 

in:; 

6 

7 

S 

g 

111 
KH 
113 
llfl 

110 

10 

n 

12     

110 
105 
106 

18                    

100 

11                    

95 

15                    

95 

16                

95 

17 

Is         

97 
95 

19     

92 

20           

78 

21 

75 

22 

28      

81 
83 

95 

101 
101 

27   

98 

91 

29 

90 

30 

85 

31 

Average 

103 

292 

1,770 

1, 954 

650 

282 

159 

113 

98 

The  flow  for  December,  January,  and  February  is  estimated  at  75 

cubic  feet  per  second. 

Discharge  of  Cache  la  PoinJrc  River  in  1902. 


Day. 


Janu-  Febru 

ary.       ary. 


Cu.fi. 

ji<  r  sir. 

115 

100 

100 

110 

105 

110 

112 

115 

95 

80 

70 

55 

54 

60 

57 

70 

80 

05 

75 

90 

80 

70 

61 

63 

63 

04 

68 

63 

63 

64 

62 


Average 


Cu.fi. 
per  sec. 

63 
68 


March 


Cu.ft 
per  sec, 

50 
71 
70 
62 
58 
65 
65 
70 
100 
86 
74 
70 
73 
78 
80 
39 
65 
02 

si 


82 

85 
89 
101 
100 
102 
103 
99 
99 
104 


April. 


Cu.ft. 

l>i  r  sec 
74 
90 
89 
110 
100 
110 
114 
134 
135 
139 
144 
163 
145 
159 
164 
157 
165 
170 
210 
240 
274 
175 
149 
155 
102 
179 
179 
110 
156 
191 


79 


May 


Cu.fi. 
per  sec. 

200 

267 

336 

366 

509 

553 

583 

700 

824 

897 

1,042 

1,143 

1,370 

1,269 

1,548 

1,502 

1 ,  438 

1,470 

1 ,  281 

1,108 

887 

002 

656 

603 

681 

892 

1,302 

1,521 

1,566 

1.  107 

1 .  887 


June. 


Cu.fi. 
per  sec. 

1,823 

1,736 

1,558 

1,455 

1,660 

1,512 

1 ,  520 

1,644 

1,623 

1,618 

1,635 

1,420 

1,386 

1,296 

1,159 

947 

917 

873 

85 1 

79:: 

758 

754 

721 

779 

606 

604 

743 

712 

707 

729 


1.152 


July. 


Au- 
gust. 


Cu.fi. 

»(  I'  SI  C. 

595 
184 

107 
191 
117 
117 
374 
Mos 
370 
372 
853 
314 
349 
211 
200 

257 
211 

378 

112 
349 
285 

25:; 
238 
221 
271 
207 
276 
256 

215 
285 
243 


Cu.ft. 

per  sec. 

229 

199 
203 
190 
192 
200 
194 
187 
180 
179 
175 
164 
158 
156 
161 
152 
181 
131 
120 
111 
117 
104 

99 
109 
109 
104 

94 
109 
112 

91 

94 


Sep- 
tem- 
ber. 


:;_-s 


Cu.fi. 
per  sec. 

141 
152 
L38 
115 
SO 
76 
75 
72 
72 
83 
80 
68 

OS 

68 
64 
63 

68 

00 

69 

71 
120 
|ss 
17s 
322 
293 
211 
210 
270 
258 

250 


117 


Octo- 
ber. 


Cu.fi. 
per  sec. 

215 
229 
226 
228 
200 
191 
199 
187 
is:; 
is:; 
It ',2 
102 
168 
163 
l.;:: 
210 

210 
177 
171 
167 
17o 
170 
17n 
168 
171' 
147 
154 
152 
117 
132 
132 


No- 
vem- 
ber. 


Cu.fi. 
per  sec. 

127 
132 
102 

103 
[02 

107 
102 
105 
128 
125 
120 
120 

133 
134 

128. 

128 
128 

187 
18.7 
139 
137 

18.1 

115 

120 
90 
lol 
121 
126 
108 
84 


De- 
cem- 
ber. 

Cu.ft. 
per  sec. 

94 
84 

89 
87 
117 
127 
127 
117 
127 
132 
129 
120 
115 
115 
120 
120 
107 
122 
120 
122 
115 
140 
140 
125 
110 
135 
125 
130 
112 
87 
92 


155 


178 


119 


116 


14 


[verage  ntonthly  discharge  of  Cache  la  Poudrt  River,  1895-1902. 


Year. 

March. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

August 

Septem- 
ber. 

October. 

Novem- 
ber. 

L895                

Cu.fed 
i»  rsee. 

Cu.  feet 

( u .  0  >  t 

i><  r  see. 

1.  137 

cu.  jut 

pi  r  si  r. 

i.  197 

77:; 

1,739 

1,330 

2,942 

l.'.'.i 
l.i:.  2 

Cu.  jut 

j>i  rsee. 

1,130 

158 

71'.' 
1M 
1.  Ill 
721 
682 
328 

Cu.  feet 

j>i  r  sec. 
195 
272 
371 
184 

■v.:. 
282 

117 

Cu.  feet 
per  sec. 

292 
1 7  / 
78 
212 
149 
L59 
155 

Cu.  jut 

Cu.fed. 

727 

306 

2,  105 

1,71 
1.  186 
2,809 

1 ,  829 

983 





1898        

117 
132 

l'.HKI                

1,376 
292 

153 

L901 



103 

TV 

113 

178              119 

Average 

91 

571 

1,617 

\.*~ 

719 

322 

181 

120               109 

Average  discharge 
in  acre-feet 

5,595 

33,977 

99, 426 

111,089 

19,799 

10, 770 

7,379  i        6,486 

Discharge  of  Big  Thompson  River  '>>,  iuoi. 


Day. 

June. 

July. 

Au- 
gust. 

Sep- 
tem- 
ber. 

Octo- 
ber. 

Day. 

June 

July. 

Au- 
gust. 

Sep- 
tem- 
ber. 

Octo- 
ber. 

1 

•> 

Cu.fl. 

per  » '■. 

....... 

Cu.ft. 

• 
975 
975 
851 
811 
741 
725 
583 
557 
557 
761 
861 
761 
710 
608 
557 
657 
425 

Cu.ft. 

per  sec. 
255 
255 
255 
355 
355 
355 
355 
355 
506 
506 
404 
370 
355 
255 
275 
220 
220 

Cu.ft. 

l»  rsee. 

110 

110 

95 

110 

95 

95 

110 

110 

110 

80 

80 

80 

80 

70 

70 

60 

60 

Cu.ft. 

ji<  rsec. 
45 
45 
45 
45 
44 
44 
45 
15 
45 
45 
55 
55 
55 
55 
55 
:,:•> 
55 

18 

19 

l-u.ft. 

per  sec. 

61 6 

710 

810 

864 

990 

1.092 

1.143 

1,127 

882 

864 

810 

sio 

790 

Cu.ft. 

jn  ;•  •-■'  <'. 
425 
225 
355 
355 

308 
308 
308 
355 
355 
308 
308 
308 
255 

Cu.ft. 

220 

220 
255 

- 

180 

180 

1.50 

180 

140 

140 

140 

140 

Cu.ft. 

55 
55 

55 

44 
44 
44 
44 
44 
44 

Cu.ft. 

IS 

3 

4    

20 

21 

22 

23 

24 

25 

26 

27 

28 

29 

30 

15 
45 

5 

6 

643 
620 

865 
944 
1.260 
980 
895 
870 
900 
910 
740 
740 

55 
55 
55 

8 

9 

55 
55 

10 

11 

55 

12 

13 

65 

55 

It 

15 

16 

17 

31 

Average . 

56 

865 

534 

269 

72 

50 

15 


Discharge  of  Big  Thompson  River  in  1902. 


Day. 

April. 

May. 

June. 
Cu.Jeet 

July. 

* 

August. 

Septem- 
ber. 

<  October. 

Novem- 
ber. 

Cu.  feet 

Cu.  feet. 

Cu.  feet 

Cu.feet 

Cu.J'il 

'  ii.  hi! 

I'll.  Jul 

i»  r  eec. 

in  r  si  r. 

t><  r  ■-'  c. 

pi  r  sec. 

in  r  sec. 

pi  r  si  c. 

per  si  c. 

1 

BO 
BO 

Sll 

BO 

Tin 
659 

659 

808 
26J 
S08 
808 

no 

110 
110 
143 

55 

55 
55 

110 

220 
110 
L80 

:;:. 

2 .                                  

8 . . . 

5 

5 

80 
110 

143 
L80 
220 

220 
263 
308 

761 
659 
659 

76 1 
761 
810 
7(11 
659 

26:5 

220 
180 
L50 
143 
180 
180 
180 

148 

110 
110 
110 

110 
80 
80 
80 

15 
1.. 
15 
15 
33 
83 
33 
33 

Ho 

110 

'.Ml 

BO 
80 

80 
110 
180 

:;.. 

6 

36 

7 

::n 

8 

30 

9 

30 

10 

35 

11 

35 

12 

36 

18 

101 

608 

180 

80 

33 

140 

:;.-. 

14 

506 

COS 

180 

110 

33 

140 

28 

15 

506 

659 

180 

110 

33 

110 

28 

16 

506 

659 

180 

80 

28 

no 

35 

17 

557 

557 

180 

80 

28 

80 

40 

IS 

557 

506 

455 

80 

28 

110 

35 

19 

506 

455 

355 

80 

28 

80 

28 

20 

263 

455 

220 

70 

35 

80 

28 

21 

220 
180 
143 
143 
143 

404 
404 
404 
455 
455 

180 
180 
180 
180 
143 

55 
55 
55 
80 
80 

180 
263 
220 
143 

no 

80 
55 

55 
55 

30 

22 

30 

23 

35 

24 

35 

25 

35 

35 

26 

35 

143 

455 

308 

55 

220 

40 

30 

27 

35 

404 

455 

180 

55 

143 

40 

30 

28 

35 
35 
35 

659 
455 
659 
710 

455 
506 
404 

143 

120 
110 
110 

55 
55 
80 
55 

143 
143 
110 

55 
55 
40 
35 

30 

30. 

31  . 

Average 

35 

307 

:»77 

208 

86 

82 

94 

33 

Iverage  monthly  discharge  of  Big  Thompson  River,  1895-1902. 


Year. 

April. 

May. 

June. 

July. 

August. 

Septem- 
ber. 

October. 

Novem- 
ber. 

1895 

r„./,  it 
per  sir. 

Cu.feet 
per  sir. 
318 
218 
420 
164 
303 
1,382 

Cu.feet 

jii  r  sir. 
570 
285 
465 
377 
917 
1, 362 
865 
517 

Cu.  feet 
per  sec. 
465 
225 
267 
238 
653 
349 
534 
208 

Cu.feet 

pi  r  sir. 

319 

144 

133 

79 

283 

137 

269 

81 

Cu.  fret 
pi  r  si  r. 

146 

119 

37 

36 

92 

72 

82 

Cu.  feet 

pi  r  si  r. 
79 
66 
17 
13 
64 

Cu.feet 

per  sir. 

1896 

37 

1897 

27 

1898 

8 

1899  .   . 

140 

412 

1900  . . . 

1901 

50 
94 

1902 

35 

307 

32 

Average 

156 

445 

670 

367 

181 

83 

55 

22 

Average    discharge 
in  aere-feet 

9, 282 

27,362 

39, 867 

22,  566 

11,129 

1,938 

3,382 

1,309 

L6 


THE  NECESSITY  FOR  STORAGE. 


The  first  ditches  on  the  (ache  la  Poudre  were  constructed  about 
L860,  The  Union  Colony  came  to  Greeley  in  L870  and  the  first  of  the 
Larger  canals  were  constructed  about  this  time.     At  first  grains  and 

hay  only  were  raised,  but  after  several  experiments  it  was  found  that 
potatoes,  when  rotated  with  alfalfa  and  the  cereals,  were  especially 
adapted  to  the  soil  in  the  valleys,  and  on  account  of  the  greater  profit 
in  them  they  soon  became  the  crop  on  which  the  farmers  depended 
for  their  cash  returns.  One  by  one  the  canals  were  constructed  until 
the  flow  of  the  rivers  failed  to  meet  the  demand  and  there  was  no 
water  for  the  later  ditches  after  the  middle  of  July. 

As  long  as  wheat  was  the  main  crop  all  was  well,  for  it  required  the 
water  early  in  the  season  when  there  was  an  abundance  of  it,  but 
since  the  vegetables  and  alfalfa  have  become  the  main  crops  water  is 
needed  at  a  time  when  the  floods  in  the  streams  are  over.  From 
October  1,  the  end  of  the  irrigation  season,  to  May  1  the  comparatively 
small  flow  of  the  streams  remains  nearly  constant.  The  streams  then 
begin  to  rise  and  the  greatest  discharge  of  the  year  comes  with  the 
first  warm  days  in  May  or  June,  when  the  snows  in  the  mountains 
are  melting.  After  the  few  days  of  the  flood  season  the  discharge 
of  the  streams  rapidly  decreases  until  by  the  middle  of  July,  the  time 
for  the  first  irrigation  of  potatoes,  the  ordinary  low  stage  is  reached, 
and  the  flow  seldom  if  ever  increases  during  the  irrigation  season. 
Potatoes  require  water  from  the  middle  of  July  to  September,  and  the 
preceding  tables  show  how  the  streams  fail  during  that  time. 

On  July  15,  1901,  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River  furnished  n7>7  cubic 
feet  per  second  and  its  discharge  gradually  decreased  throughout  the 
rest  of  the  irrigation  season;  but  on  June  15,  one  month  before,  the 
river  had  furnished  2,127  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  on  May  15  its 
discharge  was  1,590  cubic  feet  per  second.  The  daily  discharge  from 
May  11  to  July  -1  was  over  1,000  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  on  June 
22  it  reached  5,100  cubic  feet  per  second;  but  after  July  15  it  did  not 
on  a  single  day  reach  600  cubic  feet  per  second.  In  1902  it  was  found 
that  the  same  stream  was  flowing  at  the  rate  of  only  200  cubic  feet 
per  second  on  July  15,  when  it  was  necessary  to  irrigate  potatoes  and 
sugar  beets,  while  on  June  15  the  discharge  was  1,159  cubic  feet  per 
second.  From  May  11  to  20  and  from  May  27  to  June  15  the  dis- 
charge did  not  fall  below  1,000  cubic  feet  per  second.  The  table 
giving  the  average  monthly  discharge  of  the  river  for  eight  years 
shows  a  striking  contrast  between  the  months  of  May  and  June  and 
those  following. 

In  1901  the  discharge  of  the  Big  Thompson  from  June  8  to  July  6 
did  not  fall  below  700  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  on  four  days  during 


17 

this  time  was  above  L,000  cubic  feel  per  second;  but  from  July  L5 
to  October  1  the  discharge  varied  from  557  cubic  feel  per  second  to 

44  cubic  feet   per  second,  and   was  over  400  cubic    feet    per  second   on 

only  seven  days  during  this  time.     In  L902  there  was  less  snow  in  the 

mountains  than  usual  to  supply  the  streams,  and  the  discharge  at  all 
times  during  the  year  was  far  below  the  average.  From  May  28  to 
June  Is  the  Mow  was  not  below  500  cubic  feet  per  second,  the  highest 
stage  being  on  June  1<>,  when  the  flow  measured  sin  cubic  feet  per 

second.  From  July  L5  to  September  20  the  tlow  exceeded  200  cubic 
feet  per  second  on  four  days  only.  The  average  for  May  in  cubic  feet 
per  second  was  307;  for  June,  577;  while  for  July  it  was  only  208,  and 
for  August  only  86.  The  average  discharge  of  the  Big  Thompson  for 
the  past  eight  years  in  May  is  445  cubic  feet  per  second;  in  June,  670 
cubic  feet  per  second;  while  for  Juhr  it  is  367  cubic  feet  per  second; 
for  August,  181  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  for  September  only  83  cubic 
feet  per  second.  This  means  that  the  average  amount  furnished  by 
the  stream  in  May  is  27,362  acre-feet  and  in  June  39,845  acre-feet; 
while  in  July  it  falls  to  22,566  acre-feet,  in  August  to  11,129  acre- 
feet,  and  in  September  it  is  only  4,937  acre-feet. 

With  these  conditions  the  farmers  soon  found  that  no  matter  how 
much  water  the  streams  furnished  in  the  early  part  of  the  season  it 
was  of  no  benefit  to  them  in  maturing  their  valuable  crops,  which 
require  water  in  the  latter  part  of  the  season.  They  saw  the  floods  in 
May  or  June  and  their  crops  suffering  for  want  of  water  in  July  and 
August.  The  necessity  of  storage  confronted  them  in  a  most  realistic 
manner,  and  the  first  ventures  were  made  in  1881,  when  a  reservoir 
was  constructed  in  each  of  the  valleys  under  discussion.  From  that 
time  the  development  in  storage,  and  with  it  the  wealth  and  prosperity 
of  the  country,  has  progressed  steadil}^  until  at  present  the  valleys  are 
dotted  with  numerous  reservoirs,  varying  in  size  from  the  smallest 
pond  furnishing  water  to  a  single  farm,  to  the  large  reservoirs  of  the 
cooperative  companies  of  farmers  irrigating  thousands  of  acres.  Pota- 
toes, cabbage,  and  onions,  were  raised  with  great  success,  and  recently 
sugar  beets,  which  are  very  similar  to  potatoes  as  regards  their  require- 
ments for  water,  have  been  introduced  and  have  added  greatly  to  the 
demand  for  stored  water. 

Progress  has  not  been  delayed  even  by  the  unusual  season  of  1902, 
when  the  supply  of  the  streams  failed  to  fill  the  reservoirs  already 
constructed,  and  works  are  now  being  built  which  their  owners  expect 
to  till  only  every  two  or  three  years,  knowing  from  experience  that 
their  investments  are  safe. 

The  map  (frontispiece)  gives  a  better  idea  of  the  great  number  of 
these  reservoirs  than  can  be  obtained  in  any  other  way. 

688— No.  134—03 2 


RESERVOIRS  ON  CACHE  LA  POTJDRE  RIVER. 
CACHE  LA  POTJDRE  RESERVOIR. 

The  Cache  la  Poudre Reservoir  Company  was  organized  in  1892  and 

it-  reservoir  was  constructed  the  same  year.  In  organizing  this  com- 
pany the  stockholders  were  limited  to  those  owning  stock  in  the  Cache 
la  Poudre  Irrigating  Company  and  land  under  its  canal,  the  Cache  la 
Pond  re  No.  2,  and  those  owning  land  that  could  be  irrigated  from 
the  reservoir.  It  was  specified  that  only  one  share  could  be  taken 
in  the  reservoir  company  for  each  share  in  the  canal  company. 
While  the  reservoir  and  canal  companies  are  entirely  distinct  organi- 
zations, the  stockholders  are  nearly  identical  excepting  a  few  in  the 
reservoir  company  who  are  irrigators  under  the  Lake  Canal.  There 
are  3,000  shares  of  stock  in  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir  Company 
and  375  rights,  S  shares  constituting  one  80-acre  water  right. 

A  certain  number  of  shares  of  stock  in  the  reservoir  companies  in 
the  valley  is  taken  as  being  equivalent  to  one  water  right.  This  num- 
ber is  determined  in  the  following  manner:  The  average  farm  consists 
of  80  acres,  and  as  one  right  is  intended  to  serve  each  farm  the  rights 
are  known  as  80-acre  water  rights.  The  reservoir  water  is  almost 
always  used  on  vegetables,  and  as  20  to  30  acres  is  the  usual  area 
planted  in  these  crops  on  an  80-acre  farm,  the  amount  of  water  for  20 
to  30  acres  of  vegetables  is  taken  as  the  amount  that  it  is  desirable  for 
an  80-acre  water  right  to  represent.  The  right  usually  represents 
1,000,000  cubic  feet,  or  about  22  acre-feet  of  stored  water.  The  num- 
ber of  these  rights  is  then  limited  by  the  capacity  of  the  reservoir. 
Finally,  the  number  of  shares  of  stock  to  each  80-acre  right  is  deter- 
mined from  the  total  number  of  shares  in  the  capital  stock. 

The  reservoir  is  situated  1  miles  north  of  the  canal  and  its  outlet  ditch 
runs  almost  directly  south,  entering  the  canal  lh  miles  below  the  head 
gate.  The  basin  of  the  reservoir  was  not  a  natural  one  originally  con- 
taining some  water,  as  was  the  case  with  those  of  so  many  in  the  valley, 
but  was  formed  by  constructing  two  embankments,  one  2,000  feet  long 
and  16  feet  high  along  the  southwest  side,  and  the  other  one-half  mile 
long  and  36  feet  high,  along  the  south  side.  The  latter  crosses  a  nar- 
row part  of  the  shallow  valley  in  which  the  reservoir  is  located.  It 
settled  1  feet  the  first  year  after  construction,  but  allowance  had  been 
made  for  at  least  as  much  settling.  The  outside  slope  of  these  dams  is 
2  to  1  and  the  inside  slope  3  to  1.  If  the  inside  slope  were  continued 
to  the  top  the  dams  would  be  only  1  feet  wide  on  top,  but  a  row  of 
wooden  piles  was  driven  along  the  inside  slope  near  the  top  and  these 
planked  up  to  form  a  support  for  the  rock  and  earth  which  were  tilled 
in  behind.  This  till  makes  the  dams  16  feet  wide  on  top.  The  piles 
were  driven   1<>  feet  into  the  dam  and  extend  1  feet  above,  and  as  the 


19 


high- water  line  is  6  feet  below  the  top  of  the  dam  this  makes  an  excel- 
lent protection  against  the  wave  action  daring  high  wind-  when  the 
reservoir  is  full.     (PI.  II,  fig.  i.)    The  inner  faces  of  tin-  dams  were 

covered  withgravel  2  feet  thick,  and  then  stone  was  laid  on  tin-  1  foot 
thick.  The  waves  have  disturbed  the  riprapping  in  places  and  the 
slope   is  now  irregular.      Before  building  the  larger  dam  a  trench  8 

feet  wide,  6  feet  deep,  and  1,000  feet  long-  was  dug  along  the  low.-t 
portion  of  the  line  where  the  dam  was  to  be  constructed.  The  trench 
was  then  refilled  with  fresh  material  as  a  protection  against  seepage 
under  the  dam. 

The  outlet  is  through  the  larger  dam  below  its  highest  point.  The 
ground  being  marshy  it  was  necessary  to  make  a  very  solid  founda- 
tion. A  cut  i>  feet  deep  was  made  and  tilled  2  feet  deep  with  cobble 
stones,  which  were  packed  by  pounding  with  mauls.  This  layer  was 
slushed  with  mortar,  and  rubble 
masonry  was  built  up  5^  feet 
higher,  all  the  openings  being 
tilled  with  mortar  (tig.  1).  This 
foundation  for  the  outlet  is  14 
feet  wide  on  the  bottom,  except 
at  the  two  ends,  where  it  is  20 
feet  wide.  This  outlet  is  a  stone 
arch  5  feet  high  and  5  feet  wide, 
with  side  walls  2\  feet  thick, 
and  has  two  collars  built  around 
it.  The  arch  was  made  of  some 
condemned  curbstones,  which 
were  from  10  to  14  feet  in  length 
and  2  feet  wide.  Winged  retain- 
ing walls  3  feet  thick  were  con- 
structed at  both  the  upper  and  the  lower  ends  of  the  outlet.  For  a 
short  distance  at  the  upper  end  of  the  outlet  it  is  divided  into  two 
conduits,  each  of  which  is  covered  by  a  patent  cast-iron  gate.  The 
mechanism  is  so  arranged  that  when  the  gates  are  being  operated  they 
do  not  slide  against  their  frames,  but  are  carried  by  small  wheels, 
which  run  on  a  track  set  at  an  angle  of  20°  from  the  vertical,  and  in 
this  way  much  of  the  friction  due  to  the  great  pressure  of  the  water  is 
obviated  (fig.  2).  Just  before  the  gates  reach  their  final  position  in 
closing  they  are  dropped  into  place,  where  they  should  tit  tightly 
against  the  frames  at  the  upper  end  of  the  conduit.  At  the  same  time 
the  weight  is  taken  from  the  wheels  and  they  are  lifted  from  the  track. 
This  is  accomplished  by  turning  the  shafts  carrying  the  wheels,  which 
are  slightly  eccentric.  In  tig.  2  the  gate  is  shown  in  its  position  when 
closed,  while  the  dotted  lines  indicate  the  position  when  the  gate  is 
slightly  lifted  from  the  frame,  the  wheels  are  raised  from  the  track, 


Fig.  1. — Cross  section  of  masonry  arch  outlet  of 
Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir. 


20 


and  the  entire  mechanism  is  ju>t  ready  to  be  run  up  the  track.  One  of 
the  gates  would  not  open  the  tirst  year  the  reservoir  was  used,  and  after 
many  expensive  attempts  to  open  it  a  professional  diver  had  to  be 
employed,  with  whose  assistance  the  difficulty  was  overcome.  The  gates 
have  always  Leaked  more  or  less,  and  in  1902  one  of  them  could  not  be 
closed,  the  leakage  for  part  of  the  time  amounting  to  29  cubic  feet  per 
second.  While  this  water  was  not  wasted,  it  is  probable  that  the  per- 
son- who  used  it  would  rather  have  had  it  at  some  other  time.  Theo- 
retically the  design  of  the  gate  is  good,  for  the  power  required  to  move 
a  gate  running  on  wheels  is  much  less  than  that  required  to  move  a 


CROSS    SECTION 


ELEVATION 


Fig.  2.— Design  of  gate  used  at  Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir. 

similar  one  which  slides  on  a  frame.  However,  the  company  has  not 
found  the  gates  to  be  practicable,  and  it  is  certain  that  any  apparatus 
for  the  purpose  should  be  simple,  since  it  can  not  conveniently  be 
reached  under  water.  The  gates  are  raised  by  wire  ropes  extending 
over  the  face  and  to  the  top  of  the  dam,  where  a  windlass  gives  multi- 
plied power.     They  are  closed  by  their  own  weight. 

The  reservoir  is  600  acres  in  area  and  when  full  the  water  is  31  feet 
deep  at  the  outlet,  Its  capacity  is  350,000,000  cubic  feet,  or  8,035  acre- 
feet,  which  gives  21.43  acre-feet  to  each  water  right.  It  is  filled 
entirely  from  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River  through  the  inlet  ditch,  which 
is  5f  miles  long  and  has  a  capacitvv  of  140  cubic  feet  per  second. 


U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agr.,  Bui.  134,  Office  of  Expt.  Stations.     Irrigation  Investigations. 


Plate  II. 


Fig.  1.— Piling  and  Riprapping  on  Embankment  of  Cache  la  Poudre. 


Fig.  2.— Masonry  Gate  Well,  Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir. 


21 
The  reservoir  has  a  decree  dated  March   L2,  L892,  entitling  it  to  be 

Idled    27  feet    deep,  and   another    dated   Augu>t     K    L894,  which   adds  3 

i'eet  to  this  depth.  The  sum  of  these  two  gives  374,000,000 cubic  feet. 
The  first  of  these  decrees  is  preceded  by  those  of  the  Windsor  Reser- 
voir and  four  reservoirs  of  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company. 
Its  inlet  is  the  lowest  on  the  river  except  that  of  the  Fossil  Creek 
Reservoir,  and  the  latter  reservoir  comes  much  the  latest  as  regards  the 
privilege  of  storage,  so  that  Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir  is  entitled  to 
all  the  water  reaching  its  head  gate  not  needed  for  direct  irrigation. 
The  gain  in  the  river  due  to  seepage  is  enough  to  increase  the  flow 
below  the  next  head  gate  a  considerable  amount,  and  this  benefits  the 
reservoir.  The  seepage  continues  throughout  all  the  seasons,  and  up  to 
the  present  time  has  increased  from  year  to  year  as  the  lands  are  becom- 
ing more  and  more  saturated  with  water.  The  water  used  for  power 
purposes  by  the  Mason  &  Hottel  mill  at  Fort  Collins  has  been  one 
of  the  main  factors  in  tilling  the  reservoir.  The  mill  race  is  entitled 
to  60  cubic  feet  per  second,  which  is  returned  to  the  river  above  the 
head  of  the  inlet  and  below  the  head  gates  of  all  the  large  canals  except 
two,  the  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  2  and  the  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  3,  so 
that  the  reservoir  company  can  use  it  for  storage  a  part  of  the  time. 
This  water  has  been  a  bone  of  contention  on  the  river,  as  it  has  been 
claimed  by  other  canals  and  reservoirs.  At  one  time  it  was  used  Iry 
the  canals  above  when  not  needed  by  the  mill,  but  by  a  decision  of 
the  State  supreme  court  it  must  now  be  allowed  to  flow  to  the  reser- 
voir inlet  continuously  during  the  months  of  December.  January, 
and  February.  This  gives  the  company  a  good  chance  of  tilling  its 
reservoir  every  year,  and  in  1902  it  was  the  only  one  completely  filled. 
The  decision  was  based  on  the  claim  that  for  years  this  water  went 
to  waste  during  these  winter  months  until  it  began  to  be  stored  by 
the  reservoir  company.  The  water  is  used  for  late  irrigation  from  the 
middle  of  July  to  the  last  of  September,  and  is  measured  by  a  weir 
and  an  automatic  register  of  gage  heights  in  the  outlet  ditch  just  below 
the  dam.  Weirs  are  also  used  in  the  laterals  for  measuring  out  each 
irrigator's  proportional  amount.  The  reservoir  company  pays  the 
canal  company  $10  per  right  per  annum  for  delivering  the  water.  All 
the  water  is  used  through  and  under  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Canal  No.  2 
except  35  rights  that  are  owned  by  irrigators  under  the  Lake  Canal, 
lying  above  the  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  2.  Before  the  reservoir  was 
constructed  the  Lake  Canal  ran  through  what  is  now  the  reservoir 
basin,  and  the  reservoir  company  turned  the  course  of  the  canal  around 
the  south  side  through  a  deep  and  expensive  cut.  Before  the  gates  of 
the  reservoir  can  be  opened  the  owners  of  at  least  25  rights  must  call 
for  either  all  or  a  part  of  their  proportional  amount  of  the  stored 
water,  since  it  is  required  that  no  less  than  25  cubic  feet  per  second 
can  be  turned  out,  and  that  each  right  shall  receive  water  at  the  rate  of 
1  cubic  foot  per  second.     However,  an  exception  is  made  in  the  case 


22 

of  those  35  rights  under  the  Lake  Canal  whereby  a  minimum  run  to 
them  of  one  half  the  specified  amount  is  allowable.  The  reservoir 
rights  are  worth  $650  each  and  the  value  of  all  of  them  is  *243,750. 
The  original  cost  of  the  reservoir  was  $105,000,  or  KlH.nT  per  acre-foot 
of  capacity,  which  includes  the  cost  of  the  inlet  and  outlet  ditches  and 
the  purchase  of  land.  The  construction  alone  cost  $81, 000.  The 
expense  of  maintenance  is  $1,000  per  annum. 

LARIMER  AND  WELD  RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  owned  by  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir  Com- 
pany, which  is  entirely  distinct  from  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Irrigation 
Company,  owning  and  operating  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal.  The 
canal  was  constructed  many  years  before  the  reservoir.  The  stock- 
holders in  the  canal  company  are  the  farmers  using  water  from  the 
canal,  and  a  number  of  these  organized  the  reservoir  company,  in  which 
stockholders  were  limited  to  those  of  the  irrigation  company.  How- 
ever, not  all  of  the  stockholders  of  the  irrigation  company,  took  stock 
in  the  reservoir  company.  At  present  711  shares  have  been  sold,  mak- 
ing 186  rights,  1  shares  constituting  a  water  right. 

The  reservoir  was  constructed  in  1891  and  enlarged  to  its  present 
capacity  in  1891.  It  occupies  what  was  formerly  called  Terry  Lake, 
a  natural  basin  collecting  seepage  water  from  irrigated  lands  in  the 
vicinity.  In  utilizing  this  basin  a  cut  20  feet  deep,  in  which  to  build 
the  outlet,  was  made  through  the  rim  of  the  natural  basin  at  the  south 
side,  and  an  earthen  embankment  12  feet  high  and  1£  miles  long  was 
constructed  along  the  same  side.  The  dam  is  15  feet  wide  on  top,  and 
both  the  inside  and  outside  slopes  are  3  to  1.  Before  building  the  dam 
the  ground  was  plowed,  so  there  would  be  no  distinct  seam  between 
the  dam  and  the  original  surface.  The  dam  was  constructed  in  layers, 
each  being  well  packed,  and  its  inner  face  was  riprapped  with  stone. 
A  long  trench  was  dug  at  the  base  of  the  dam  just  inside  the  reservoir, 
and  then  refilled  with  earth,  thus  closing  any  prairie-dog  holes  and 
preventing  seepage  under  the  dam. 

The  outlet  is  32  feet  below  the  top  of  the  dam,  and  the  cut  in  which 
it  was  laid  was  closed  with  earth  and  packed  before  building  the  dam 
over  it.  The  conduit  for  65  feet  from  the  upper  end  is  a  stone  arch  5 
feet  high  and  6  feet  wide,  which  terminates  in  a  masonry  well  at  the 
inner  edge  of  the  top  of  the  dam.  The  arch  is  built  on  a  concrete 
base.  The  conduit  below  the  well  consists  of  two  cement  pipes  36 
inches  in  diameter  and  100  feet  long,  laid  8  inches  apart,  and  having 
8  inches  of  cement  all  around  them.  Stone  collars  were  built  around 
the  pipes  at  intervals  of  20  feet  to  prevent  the  water  from  creeping 
along  the  outside.  At  the  extreme  ends  of  the  outlet  retaining  walls 
with  wings  were  built  across  the  cut,  which  was  left  open  beyond. 


23 

The  wall  of  the  gate  well,  just  back  of  the  gates,  was  extended  for  50 
feel  od  each  side  as  a  protection  against  seepage.^   (PI.  II.  fig.  2.) 

There  are  two  wooden  gates,  12  inches  square  and  I  inches  thick, 
which  slide  in  wooden  frames  against  the  inner  face  of  the  lower  wall 
of  the  well,  each  covering  an  opening  into  the  cement  pipes.  They 
are  controlled  by  iron  stems  reaching  to  the  top  of  the  well  where  the 
power  is  multiplied  by  means  of  a  nut  and  wrench.  The  gates  leak 
slightly  during  the  irrigation  season  after  they  have  been  once  opened, 
hut  when  the  reservoir  is  emptied  in  the  fall  the  gates  are  carefully 
seated,  and  as  the  pressure  increases  with  the  filling  of  the  reservoir 
they  soon  become  tight. 

The  area  of  the  reservoir  is  170  acres,  and  31  feet  in  depth  of  water 
is  drawn  oft'.  The  capacity  is  300,000,000  cubic  feet,  or  6,887  acre- 
feet,  which  entitles  the  holder  of  each  water  right  to  37.03  acre-feet. 

The  reservoir  cost  $69,978.31,  or  $10.17  per  acre-foot  of  its  capac- 
ity. The  construction  alone  cost  less  than  $25,000,  the  rest  being  due 
to  the  purchase  of  the  site,  cost  of  surveys,  attorney's  fees,  and  mis- 
cellaneous expenditures.  In  1900  the  price  of  a  right  was  from  $900 
to  $950;  in  1901,  from  $1,200  to  $1,300,  and  in  1902,  from  $1,200  to 
$1,400.  Using  $1,300  as  the  value  of  one  right,  the  value  of  the  reser- 
voir is  $241,800.     The  expense  of  maintenance  is  $600  per  annum. 

The  reservoir  is  located  just  above  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal, 
about  2  miles  below  its  head  gate,  so  that  the  stored  water  may  be  used 
directly  through  the  canal.  The  canal  company  charges  the  reservoir 
compan}T  $1  per  million  cubic  feet  for  carrying  this  water.  When  the 
reservoir  was  first  constructed  the  canal  company  refused  to  carry 
the  water  from  the  reservoir  through  its  canal,  and  litigation  was 
resorted  to  by  the  reservoir  company.  The  result  was  that  the  canal 
company  was  compelled  to  allow  its  canal  to  be  used  as  a  carrier  upon 
payment  of  a  charge  by  the  reservoir  company.  It  was  the  opinion 
of  the  court  that  new  canals  should  not  be  constructed  when  an  exist- 
ing one  would  serve  all  purposes. 

The  inlet  ditch  from  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River  is  4J  miles  long.  As 
yet  the  reservoir  has  no  decree,  and  other  means  of  filling  are  relied 
upon  mainly.  Dry  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre,  crosses 
the  inlet  ditch  just  west  of  the  reservoir,  and  while  it  is  dry  part  of 
the  year,  it  is  subject  to  floods  at  times  which  furnish  a  large  supply. 
and  the  water  from  seepage  which  filled  Terry  Lake  before  the  reser 
voir  was  constructed  helps  to  some  extent. 

The  Larimer  County  Canal  crosses  Dry  Creek  above  the  crossing  of 
the  reservoir  inlet,  and  after  the  construction  of  the  reservoir  difficul- 
ties arose  regarding  the  rights  to  the  waters  of  the  creek.  Suit  was 
brought  by  the  company  against  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Com- 
pany, in  which  it  was  held  by  the  court  that  the  right  of  the  Larimer 


and  Weld  Reservoir  Company  to  the  waters  of  the  crook  was  prior  to 
the  appropriation  by  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company,  and 
the  former  was  allowed  to  divert  water  for  filling'  and  refilling  the 
reservoir.  The  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company  was  restrained 
from  taking  any  water  from  the  creek  to  the  detriment  of  the  reser- 
voir, and  if  it  diverted  any  when  the  reservoir  was  not  full  it  was 
compelled  to  return  the  same  amount  to  the  creek  above  the  crossing 
of  the  reservoir  inlet,  provided  the  amount  did  not  exceed  the  capac- 
ity of  the  reservoir  inlet.  The  company  has  also  used  a  part  of  the 
excessive  appropriation  of  the  Little  Cache  la  Poudre  Ditch  for  filling 
its  reservoir,  and  while  it  may  be  said  that  the  filling  has  depended 
largely  on  chance,  these  sources  never  failed  to  supply  enough  until 
the  year  L902,  when  there  were  only  2i  feet  of  water  in  the  basin, 
instead  of  the  usual  31  feet. 

The  Little  Cache  la  Poudre  Ditch  is  one  of  the  highest  taking  water 
from  the  main  river.  It  was  given  a  decree  of  60. on  cubic  feet  per 
second,  dated  1869,  this  being  priority  No.  31,  and  another  of  :^0.-±2 
cubic  feet  per  second,  dated  1873,  making  a  total  of  80.50  cubic  feet 
per  second.  Owing  to  the  small  capacity  of  the  ditch  and  the  small 
area  of  land  irrigated,  only  about  ±2  cubic  feet  per  second  is  needed. 

Of  the  30  shares  in  this  ditch  19  have  been  used  for  storage  purposes 
by  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir  Company,  some  having  been  pur- 
chased and  the  use  of  others  acquired  by  contract.  In  1902  the  water 
commissioner  refused  to  permit  this  use  of  the  water,  and  a  suit  was 
brought  against  that  officer,  into  which  a  number  of  the  irrigation 
companies  of  the  valley  were  drawn.  The  Larimer  and  Weld  Reser- 
voir Company  asked  for  a  decree  to  fill  its  reservoir  from  the  Cache 
la  Poudre  River,  Dry  Creek,  Little  Cache  la  Poudre  Ditch,  and  Round 
Butte  Ditch.  The  Cache  la  Poudre  Irrigating  Company  claimed  that 
a  part  of  the  Little  Cache  la  Poudre  Ditch  had  been  abandoned,  and 
that  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir  Company  had  no  right  to  the 
water  not  needed  by  the  ditch,  as  it  constituted  an  extended  use  of  the 
water,  and  that  it  should  be  returned  to  the  river  for  those  ditches 
having  old  appropriations.  The  decision  rendered  was  that  the  reser- 
voir company  had  no  right  to  use  the  shares  held  by  contract  and  that 
these  contracts  were  void,  but  that  title  to  those  purchased  was  good. 
It  was  specified,  however,  that  the  reservoir  should  receive  no  more 
from  Little  Cache  la  Poudre  Ditch  than  1  cubic  foot  per  second  per 
share  owned  in  the  ditch,  and  that  this  amount  could  not  be  used  for 
storage  during  the  season  of  direct  irrigation.  This  reduced  the  claim 
of  the  reservoir  company  to  9 \  cubic  feet  per  second.  Originally  the 
company  claimed  only  the  waste,  seepage,  and  flood  waters  of  Dry  Creek, 
but  in  1902  it  was  deprived  of  the  latter  during  the  irrigation  season. 

The  company  expects  to  have  an  additional  source  of  supply  for  fill- 
ing its  reservoir  next  year.     It  has  nearly  finished  the  construction  of 


25 

the  Bob  ('reck  Ditch,  in  t i i * '  mountains  '■'>:>  miles  west  of  the  reservoir, 
which  will  divert  water  from  Bob  Creek,  u  tributary  of  Nun  Creek, 
which  in  (urn  is  a  tributary  of  the  Laramie  River,  and  carry  it  t<> 
Roaring  Fork,  a  tributary  of  the  Middle  Fork  of  the  (ache  la  Poudre 
River,  and  the  water  will  finally  be  tak-n  from  the  main  river  by  the 
inlet  ditch  and  stored  in  the  reservoir.  'The  completion  of  the  ditch 
will  cost  only  $1,000,  and  it  is  expected  that  it  will  he  ready  for  the 
spring  Hoods  of  L903,  The  ditch  has  a  capacity  of  l<>n  cubic  feet  per 
second.  It  is  estimated  tiiat  the  additional  amount  secured  in  this  way 
will  vary  from  20  to  LOO  cubic  feet  per  second  during  the  year. 

The  reservoir  is  partly  rilled  during  the  winter  and  the  supply  is 
completed  with  the  spring  floods.  In  1901  the  first  run  was  com- 
menced on  August  3  and  the  last  one  ended  September  1<>.  when  the 
reservoir  was  empty.  The  water  is  measured  over  a  weir  in  the  out- 
let ditch  and  then  each  shareholder's  proportional  amount  is  measured 
to  him  at  the  head  of  his  lateral.  In  1002  the  company  bought 
50,000,000  cubic  feet  of  stored  water  from  the  Water  Supply  and 
Storage  Company,  paying  filOO  per  1,000,000  cubic  feet. 

WINDSOR  RESERVOIR. 

The  Windsor  Reservoir  was  constructed  in  1892  and  was  the  first  of 
the  larger  reservoirs  in  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley  to  be  used.  It 
occupies  two  natural  basins,  and  the  work  of  construction  consisted  in 
making  a  cut  to  join  them  and  building  the  embankment  along  the 
south  side  of  the  lower  and  southern  basin  to  enlarge  the  capacity. 
This  dam  is  located  on  a  small  ridge  and  the  reservoir  can  be  further 
enlarged  by  building  the  dam  higher.  The  dam  is  one-half  mile  long 
and  164  feet  high,  having  slopes  both  inside  and  outside  of  2-J-  to  1. 
It  is  20  feet  wide  on  top  and  is  protected  with  brush  weighted  down 
with  stone,  but  if  it  is  ever  built  higher  stone  alone  will  probably  be 
used.     The  dam  was  constructed  in  1-foot  layers,  each  being  packed. 

A  cut  17i  feet  deep  and  8  feet  wide  in  which  to  lay  the  outlet  was 
made  through  the  ridge  along  the  south  where  the  dam  was  to  cross. 
The  cut  was  through  slate  which  was  disintegrated  near  the  surface. 
The  bottom  of  the  cut  wTas  filled  with  concrete  1  foot  deep  and  this 
covered  with  2  inches  of  cement  on  which  were  laid  flagstones  6  inches 
thick  to  form  the  floor  of  the  outlet.  This  conduit  is  a  stone  arch  1  feet 
wide  and  5  feet  high  with  walls  2  feet  thick.  The  outlet  required  500 
wagonloads  of  gravel,  70  carloads  of  stone,  and  364  barrels  or  25,600 
pounds  of  cement,  A  buttress  or  a  Avail  with  wings  supporting  it  and 
the  bank  on  either  side  was  constructed  at  the  upper  end  of  the  con- 
duit. The  wall  is  31  feet  high  and  2£  feet  thick,  the  wings  being 
stepped  down  to  nothing  and  making  a  horizontal  angle  with  the  wall 
of  about  30  degrees. 

The  gate  slides  in  an  iron  frame  with  flanges  and  has  a  wooden  stem 


26 

8  by  1"  inches  extending  bo  tin'  top  of  the  wall,  where  it  is  fitted  with 

an  iron  rod  carrying  a  out.  The  nut  is  set  in  a  wooden  frame  so  that 
h  can  have  a  rotary  motion  only  and  is  turned  by  a  wooden  lever  8  or 
LO  feef  in  length.  (PL  III,  lie;.  1.)  The  wooden  gate  which  was  used 
the  first  year  -welled  in  the  water  and  stuck  in  the  frame,  making  it 

very  hard  to  operate.  It  was  replaced  by  a  malleable  east-iron  gate 
weighing  l.<>4<>  pounds. 

The  Windsor  Reservoir  is  one  of  the  two  largest  in  the  valley.  Its 
area  is  7<><>  acres,  and  30  feet  of  water  can  be  drawn  off.  The  outlet  is 
34  feet  below  the  top  of  the  dam.  thus  Leaving  4  feet  for  safety.  After 
the  reservoir  is  drained  some  water  remains  below  the  level  of  the 
outlet,  which  is  the  case  with  nearly  all  of  those  reservoirs  having  nat- 
ural  basins.  Its  capacity  is  11,708  acre-feet  and  its  construction  cost 
$50,000,  making  the  cost  per  acre-foot  only  ^4. '27.  Of  the  total 
810,000  was  for  enlarging  the  inlet  and  constructing  the  outlet  ditch 
and  Sl>i  ijiih  i  for  the  purchase  of  land. 

The  reservoir  is  owned  by  the  Windsor  Reservoir  and  Canal  Com- 
pany, but  prior  to  1902  this  ownership  was  only  nominal,  the  reservoir 
being  practically  owned  by  ex-Governor  B.  H.  Eaton,  who  constructed 
it.  He  had  originally  constructed  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal  to  irri- 
gate his  own  land  lying  under  it.  The  reservoir  is  just  below  the  canal, 
near  the  halfway  point  of  its  length,  and  is  too  low  to  benefit  most  of 
this  land.  However,  it  is  above  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Canal  No.  2.  and 
from  their  relative  positions  it  should  naturally  be  used  in  connection 
with  this  canal.  The  outlet  ditch  of  the  reservoir  is  3  miles  long  and 
runs  almost  directly  south,  joining  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  2  about  6 
miles  below  the  head  gate,  thus  allowing  the  reservoir  water  to  be 
used  through  the  canal  advantageously.  It  can  be  run  to  the  Cache 
la  Poudre  Canal  No.  3,  which  is  still  lower  and  on  the  south  side  of 
the  river.  Therefore  an  exchange  has  been  effected  by  which  the 
lands  above  the  reservoir  are  benefited  by  it.  Water  is  run  to  one  or 
both  of  the  lower  canals  in  exchange  for  the  same  amount  diverted 
from  the  river  above  by  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal,  which  covers 
the  land  the  reservoir  company  desires  to  irrigate.  The  two  lower 
canals  are  the  only  ones  so  situated  that  they  can  use  water  returned 
to  the  river  from  the  Mason  &  Hottel  mill,  a  supply  which  is  useful 
in  the  exchange.  It  is  sometimes  necessary  for  the  owner  of  the 
reservoir  to  furnish  the  mill  with  coal  for  steam  power  in  order  that 
the  water  may  be  diverted  at  the  head  gate  of  the  Larimer  and  Weld 
Canal  above  the  mill. 

The  stock  of  the  Windsor  Reservoir  and  Canal  Company  is  divided 
into  L,000  shares,  two  of  which  constitute  an  80-acre  water  right.  In 
the  winter  of  L902,  when  the  reservoir  was  empty,  300  rights  were 
sold.  Most  <>f  these  were  purchased  by  irrigators  under  the  Cache  la 
Poudre  Canal  No.  2  and  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Canal  No.  3,  60  rights 


27 
to  be  used  under  the  latter.     A  few  of  them  were  bought  by  people 

who  bad  DO  land  OH  which  to  use  the  water,  hut   who  intended    to    rent 

the  water  annually  as  a  source  of  revenue  on  their  investment.  'The 
price  paid  for  this  three-fifths  of  the  reservoir  was  $100,000,  or 
$333.33  per  right.  The  reservoir  holds  23.  L2  acre-feel  for  each  water 
right.     This  transfer  will  probably  eliminate   in   part  the  exchange 

previously  referred  to. 

The  Windsor  Reservoir  is  tilled  from  the  Cache  la  Poudre  through 
the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal.  When  the  reservoir  was  constructed 
the  canal  was  capable  of  carrying  only  about  750  cubic  feet  per  sec- 
ond, the  amount  of  its  appropriation,  and  so  the  canal  was  enlarged  to 
a  capacity  of  1,000  cubic  feet  per  second  from  its  head  to  the  inlet 
gate  of  the  reservoir.  There  were  formerly  two  inlet  gates,  but  one 
has  now  been  taken  out  because  the  water  dropping  from  it  was  cut- 
ting* away  the  bank,  endangering  the  lower  bank  of  the  canal.  The 
construction  of  an  inlet  from  the  river  to  the  reservoir,  making  it 
possible  to  store  the  water  returned  to  the  river  by  the  mill  at  Fort 
Collins  lias  been  considered,  but  the  plan  has  been  dropped. 

The  Windsor  Reservoir  was  given  a  decree  dated  July  8,  1890, 
entitling  it  to  be  filled  to  a  depth  of  22.1  feet,  and  another  dated 
August,  1893,  entitling  it  to  be  filled  to  a  depth  of  7.6  feet  in  addition. 
The  sum  of  the  amounts  is  510,000,000  cubic  feet.  The  first  decree 
is  preceded  by  those  of  Nos.  2,  3,  and  1  and  Chambers  Lake  of  the 
Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company,  so  that  until  these  have  been 
satisfied  the  Windsor  Reservoir  can  not  be  filled  to  the  extent  allowed 
in  its  first  decree.  Before  filling  is  completed  the  Cache  la  Poudre 
Reservoir  must  be  partially  filled,  as  it  has  a  decree  antedating  the  sec- 
ond decree  of  the  Windsor  Reservoir.  The  chances  of  filling  the 
reservoir  are  good,  however,  unless  the  year  is  an  exceptional  one,  as 
was  1902,  when  the  water  was  only  23  feet  deep,  the  amount  stored 
being  250,000,000  cubic  feet,  or  5,710  acre-feet. 

The  original  owners  of  the  Windsor  Reservoir  are  constructing  a 
system  of  ditches  in  the  mountains,  about  17  miles  west  of  their  reser- 
voir, which  will  greatly  increase  the  supply  available  for  storage.  In 
1902  they  had  completed  and  used  the  Sand  Creek  or  Divide  Ditch. 
which  is  1£  miles  long  and  has  a  capacity  of  250  cubic  feet  per  second. 
It  cost  $1,500.  The  ditch  diverts  water  from  Sand  Creek,  a  tributary 
of  the  Laramie  River,  and  carries  it  over  the  divide  into  Sheep  Creek, 
one  of  the  small  tributaries  of  the  North  Fork  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre 
River.  In  1901  the  flow  of  Sand  Creek  at  this  point  was  measured  and 
was  found  to  vary  between  6  and  210  cubic  feet  per  second,  and  it  is 
expected  to  furnish  a  good  supply  for  storage  in  the  Windsor  Reser- 
voir every  year..  In  1902,  however,  the  Sand  Creek  Ditch  did  not  at 
any  time  carry  over  31  cubic  feet  per  second  and  the  total  amount  sup- 
plied by  it  was  60.7o0,000  cubic  feet,  or  an  amount  equal  to  one-eighth 


28 

of  the  capacity  of  the  Windsor  Reservoir.     Water  was  run  through 
the  ditch  from  May  9  to  July  10,  inclusive,  and  from  July  16  to  23, 

inclusive. 

This  Bupply  drawn  from  the  Laramie  River  will  he  reinforced  by 
two  other  ditches,  one  of  which,  the  Deadman  Ditch,  lias  been  com- 
plete! and  will  be  used  in  1903.  It  crosses  Deadman  Creek,  a  tribu- 
tary <>f  the  Laramie  River,  and  several  other  small  creeks  or  draw-. 
catching  the  tlow  of  all  of  them  and  carrying  it  over  the  divide  to  Sand 
Creek,  the  water  finally  being  taken  by  the  Sand  Creek  Ditch.  In 
L903  the  other  of  these  ditches,  called  the  Columbine  Ditch,  i-  to  be 
constructed,  It  is  planned  to  divert  the  How  of  Columbine  Creek,  a 
tributary  of  Sand  Creek,  and  discharge  it  into  the  North  Fork  of  the 
Cache  la  Pond  re  River.  It  is  2J  miles  long  and  the  Deadman  Ditch  is 
5  miles  long.  It  is  estimated  that  these  two  will  furnish  about  the 
same  amount  as  the  Sand  Creek  Ditch  each  year.  There  are  no  inter- 
ests on  the  head  waters  of  these  streams  in  Colorado,  and  therefore 
no  objections  to  these  diversions  have  been  made  in  that  State.  But 
Laramie  River  and  Sand  Creek  flow  north  into  Wyoming,  where  both 
are  used  for  irrigation.  This  plan  of  increasing  the  available  amount 
of  water  for  storage  in  the  reservoirs  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley  at 
the  expense  of  the  irrigation  interests  in  Wyoming  has  been  complained 
of  and  a  suit  is  now  pending  in  the  United  States  court. 

Water  is  used  from  the  Windsor  Reservoir  in  runs  of  several  days 
each,  when  each  right  receives  its  share  at  the  rate  of  1  cubic  foot  per 
second,  the  aggregate  number  of  days  in  the  runs  being  determined 
by  the  amount  of  water  in  the  reservoir. 

The  reservoir  not  being  full  in  190:2.  Mr.  Eaton  found  it  necessary 
to  purchase  water  for  his  lands.  The  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Com- 
pany furnished  35,000,000  cubic  feet  or  803  acre-feet,  and  the  North 
Poudre  Irrigation  Company  10,000,000  cubic  feet  or  230  acre-feet. 
The  price  paid  in  each  case  was  $100  per  million  cubic  feet  or  §4. 30 
per  acre-foot. 

WATER   SUPPLY  AND    STORAGE    COMPANY'S  SYSTEM. 

The  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company  owns  Chambers  Lake, 
Pocky  Pidge  Reservoir,  Reservoirs  ]Sos.  2.  3.  and  -±,  Long  Pond, 
Lindenmeier  Lake,  and  Curtis  Lake.  The  company  owns  also  the 
Larimer  County  Canal,  and  the  Laramie  River,  Cameron  Pass,  and 
Grand  River  ditches.  Chambers  Lake  and  the  three  ditches  are  in  the 
mountains  at  the  head  waters  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River.  All  the 
other  reservoirs,  except  Curtis  Lake,  are  embraced  in  a  chain  beginning 
with  Rocky  Ridge  Reservoir  on  the  north  and  ending  with  Linden- 
meier Lake  on  the  south.  Rocky  Ridge  Reservoir  is  located  6  miles 
directly  north  of  Fort  Collins,  and  Nos.  2,  3,  and  -±  are  to  the  south  of 


U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agi.,  Bui.  134,  Office  of  Expt.  Stations.     Irrigation  Investigations. 


Plate  III. 


Fig.  1  .—Outlet  and  Brush  Riprapping  on  Embankment,  Windsor  Reservoir. 


Fig.  2.— Head  Works  of  Poudre  Valley  Canal,  Inlet  to  Douglas  Reservoir. 


29 

it  in  the  order  named.  They  are  closely  connected  and  one  discharges 
into  (lie  other.  The  outlet  ditch  from  No.  I  runs  southeast  about  2 
miles  and  enters  Long  Pond,  which  discharges  into  Lindenmeier  Lake. 
one-half  mile  south  of  it.  Curtis  Lake,  in  Dry  Creek  Valley,  is  U 
miles  west  of  No.  1. 

KockY     RIDGE    RESERVOIR. 

Rocky  Ridge  Reservoir,  which  is  No.  1  of  the  system,  is  so  called 
by  reason  of  its  location  near  a  small  and  rocky  ridge  in  the  valley. 
It  is  just  north  hut  below  the  grade  of  the  Larimer  County  Canal. 
The  only  embankment  required  was  across  a  draw  at  the  southeast 
(Mid  of  the  basin.  This  fill  is  17  feet  high,  60  feet  wide  on  top,  and 
620  feet  long,  and  the  Larimer  Count}'  Canal  runs  along  the  top  of  it. 
Its  upper  face  is  supported  by  a  masonry  wall  haying  a  slight  batter, 
while  the  lower  side  is  given  a  natural  slope. 

The  outlet  is  a  tunnel  through  the  slight  ridge  along  which  the  canal 
runs  on  the  southwest  side  (fig.  3).  The  tunnel  is  179  feet  in  length, 
and  the  50  feet  above  the  gate  well  is  3  feet  wide  and  1  feet  high. 
Below  the  well  it  is  only  2  feet  wide  and  3  feet  high.  The  floor  of 
the  outlet  was  made  of  concrete,  on  which  rest  the  walls  which  are  1 
foot  thick,  and  these  are  covered  with  flagging.  Both  the  top  and 
sides  were  covered  with  a  layer  of  concrete  before  the  earth  was 
packed  around  them.  Walls  3  feet  thick  were  built  at  both  the  upper 
and  lower  ends  to  support  the  earth  filling.  The  gate  well  is  of 
masonry  and  is  32  feet  deep,  and  1  by  1  feet  inside,  with  walls  2  feet 
thick  resting  on  a  concrete  foundation  3  feet  thick.  The  gate  is  of 
wood,  faced  wTith  iron  plates,  and  slides  in  a  wooden  frame  at  the  outer 
opening  of  the  well.  The  wooden  gate  stem  terminates  in  an  iron  rod 
working  in  a  stationary  nut.  The  stem  is  braced  by  an  iron  collar. 
A  concrete  collar  to  prevent  water  following  along  the  outside  is 
placed  around  the  conduit  19  feet  below  the  well.  A  peculiar  feature 
is  a  brick  drain  from  the  collar  to  the  lower  end  of  the  outlet,  the 
purpose  of  which  is  to  readily  carry  away  any  water  that  may  find  its 
way  past  the  collar  and  keep  it  from  creeping  farther  through  the 
earth.  The  drain  naturally  collects  the  water  since  it  offers  the  great- 
est freedom  of  flow.  It  is  placed  along  one  upper  corner  of  the  conduit 
and  is  about  3  by  1  inches  in  cross  section. 

In  the  fall  of  1902  the  southeast  bank  of  the  reservoir  was  riprapped 
with  stone  in  places  for  an  aggregate  distance  of  one-half  mile  as  a 
protection  not  to  the  reservoir  but  to  the  canal  just  above  it. 

The  reservoir  has  an  area  of  226  acres,  and  30  feet  of  water  may  be 
drawn  off.  Its  capacity  is  1,726  acre-feet.  The  total  cost  was  SL2,000, 
or  $2.51  per  acre-foot  of  capacity. 


30 


'  : .  ....  . .  :.. j  _  ;_:  u1  p  u  h  W  'M 


.  run  nrinnpn 


81 


RESERVOIRS    NOS.    -    AND    '■>. 


Reservoir  No.  1  discharges  directly  into  No.  2  south  of  it.  No.  '2 
has  do  regulating  gate  at  its  outlet,  hut  is  simply  connected  with  No. 

3  to  the  south  of  it  by  a  cut,  and  80  Nos.  ~  and  3  are  practically  one  res 
ervoir.     No  dams  were  necessary  to  form  these  basins.     The  outlet  at 
the  south  side  of  No.  3,  which  was  placed   in  a  cut.  consists  of  a  stone 
conduit  with  a  wooden  gate  working  in  a  masonry  well  near  the  mid- 
dle and  is  quite  similar  to  that  of  No.  4,  to  he  described  later. 

The  area  of  these  two  basins  is  l^S  acres,  and  the  water  is  11  feet 
deep  at  the  outlet  when  they  are  full.     Their  capacity  is  L,026  acre-feet. 

KKSERVOIR    NO.    4. 

The  only  embankment  necessary  at  Reservoir  No.  4-  was  one  about 
5  feet  high  over  the  outlet.  This  was  given  a  slope  of  4  to  1  on  the 
inside  and  l£  to  1  on  the  outside.  The  inner  face  is  riprapped.  The 
outlet  works  are  similar  in  many  respects  to  those  of  No.  1.  There 
is  a  stone  conduit  96  feet  long  with  walls  5  feet  high  at  both  ends. 
The  gate  well,  4  by  4  feet  inside  and  21  feet  deep,  is  nearly  at  the 
middle  of  the  outlet.  Above  the  well  the  conduit  is  2  feet  wide  by  4 
feet  high,  but  below  the  well  the  height  is  reduced  to  3  feet.  Its 
walls  are  1  foot  thick,  and  the  floor  is  formed  by  laying  flagging  on  a 
foundation  of  concrete.  Two  concrete  collars  were  placed  around  the 
outlet  belowr  the  well  and  the  earth  filled  in  on  top  of  the  outlet  was 
puddled  with  water. 

The  gate  is  of  wood  faced  with  iron  plates  and  the  wooden  stem,  8 
by  8  inches,  is  braced  by  one  guide.  The  stem  terminates  in  an  iron 
rod  carrying  a  nut  which  is  turned  by  a  wrench  when  the  gate  is 
moved. 

The  basin  is  83  acres  in  area  and  19  feet  deep  over  the  outlet,  and 
holds  996  acre-feet. 

LONG    POND    RESERVOIR. 

Long  Pond  is  Reservoir  No.  5  in  the  system,  the  name  being  given 
because  of  its  oblong  basin  extending  northwest  and  southeast.  No 
dam  was  required,  the  basin  being  natural  and  containing  some  water 
before  it  was  used  for  storage  purposes. 

A  cut  35  feet  deep,  in  which  to  build  the  outlet,  was  made  through 
the  small  ridge  on  the  lower  side  of  the  basin.  The  outlet  is  a  stone 
conduit  3  feet  wide  and  4  feet  high.  The  bottom  was  made  of  6  inches 
of  concrete  and  the  masonry  walls  on  each  side  are  18  inches  thick  at 
the  bottom  and  1  foot  at  the  top,  the  batter  being  on  the  outside.  The 
top  of  the  outlet  is  made  of  flagging  6  inches  thick.  At  both  the  upper 
and  lower  ends  a  transverse  wall  was  constructed  to  support  the  earth 
filling,  the  lower  one  having  wings  supporting  the  earth  at  either  side 
of  the  open  cut.     This  cut  extends  for  several  hundred  feet  below. 


32 


The  gate  well  is  Dear  the  upper  eod  of  the  outlet.  It  is  3  by  4  feet 
inside  and  has  walls  2  feet  thick.  The  wooden  gate  is  faced  with  iron 
plates  and  slides  in  a  wooden  frame.  At  the  top  of  the  gate  stem  a 
nut  turned  by  a  wrench  serves  as  a  lifting  apparatus. 

The  reservoir  is  230  acres  in  area  and  29£  feet  of  water  may  be  drawn 
off.  It  holds  3,922  acre-feet.  The  reservoir  cost  $12,000,  or  $3.06 
per  acre-foot  of  its  capacity. 

LINDENMEIER    LAKE. 

Lindenmeier  Lake  was  originally  a  natural  lake,  and  to  utilize  it  as 
a  reservoir  it  was  onl}T  necessary  to  make  a  cut  to  drain  the  water  off. 
This  was  made  at  the  southeast  corner  and  was  used  for  several  years 
with  a  wooden  head  gate  in  the  open  cut  to  regulate  the  discharge. 
In  the  fall  of  1902  outlet  works  similar  to  those  of  the  other  reser- 
voirs in  the  lower  system  were  installed.  The  stone  outlet  is  3  feet 
wide  and  i  feet  high  above  the  gate  well,  while  below  its  height  is 
only  3  feet.  The  floor  is  made  of  -1-inch  and  the  top  of  10-inch  flag- 
ging. The  well  is  3i  by  -1  feet  inside,  and  10  feet  deep,  and  its  walls 
are  2  feet  thick.  The  well  rests  on  a  foundation  of  20  inches  of  con- 
crete, and  the  conduit  on  6  inches  of  the  same  material.  The  length 
of  the  outlet  above  the  well  is  16i  feet  and  below  25  feet.  Walls  for 
supporting  the  earth  tilling  were  constructed  at  both  ends.  One  con- 
crete collar  is  placed  around  the  outlet  below  the  well.  The  gate  and 
gate  stem  are  wooden,  and  the  manner  of  operating  is  similar  to  that 
of  the  gates  previously  described. 

Lindenmeier  Lake  is  106  acres  in  area  and  is  filled  to  a  depth  of  8 
feet  over  the  outlet.     Its  capacity  is  716  acre-feet. 

CURTIS    LAKE. 

Curtis  Lake,  the  latest  acquisition  of  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage 
Company,  was  a  natural  lake.  It  has  no  embankment  and  the  outlet 
is  of  the  same  pattern  as  that  of  Lindenmeier  Lake,  consisting  of  a 
stone  conduit  rectangular  in  cross  section  and  a  wooden  gate  faced 
with  iron  plates  and  operated  in  a  masonry  well. 

The  area  of  Curtis  Lake  is  113  acres,  the  depth  9  feet,  and  the 
capacity  778  acre-feet. 

CHAMBERS    LAKE. 

Chambers  Lake  is  one  of  the  oldest  reservoirs  on  Cache  la  Poudre 
River  and  until  recently  was  unique  as  the  only  mountain  reservoir 
in  this  section  of  Colorado  and  the  only  one  where  a  dam  was  con- 
structed across  the  channel  of  a  natural  stream.  Its  location  is  at 
that  point  where  Fall  River.  Joe  Wright  Creek,  and  Trap  Creek  join 
to  form  the  Middle  Fork  of  Cache  la  Poudre  River.  This  point  is 
35  miles  west   in   a   straight   line  and  about   70  miles  following  the 


U.  S.  Uept.  of  Agr.,  Bui.  134,  Office  of  I 


Plate  IV. 


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mm 

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33 

course  of  the  river,  from  the  head  gate  of  the  Larimer  County  ('anal 
through  which  the  water  stored  in  Chambers  Lake  is  used.  The  ele- 
vation of  the  reservoir  is  about  9,300  feet. 

In  L885  the  Larimer  County  Hitch  Company,  which  was  incorpor- 
ated Later  as  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company,  constructed  a 
dam  IT  feet  high  at  the  outlet  of  Chambers  Lake,  making  its  capacity 
134,176,800  cubic  feet.  This  dam  was  made  by  building  up  a  crib  of 
logs  to  a  height  of  about  8  feet,  tilling-  it  in  with  gravel,  and  giving 
the  embankment  the  usual  steep  outside  and  flat  inside  slopes  above 
the  top  of  the  crib.  The  outlet  through  the  dam  was  made  of  wood 
and  the  gate  placed  at  the  upper  end  was  operated  from  a  platform 
built  out  in  the  reservoir  from  the  dam. 

The  waste  way  was  a  wooden  chute  set  in  a  gravel  bank  at  the  north 
end  of  the  dam.  In  June,  1891,  the  water  cut  through  the  gravel 
around  the  structure  and  the  utility  of  the  reservoir  as  well  as  of  the 
waste  way  was  destroyed.  The  dam  itself.  Avhile  not  as  carefully 
designed  and  constructed  as  is  desirable  in  a  dam  to  check  the  flow  of 
a  stream  subject  to  floods,  has  stood  until  the  present  time.  The  flood 
in  the  river  due  to  the  accident  destroyed  some  property  along  the 
banks  and  suits  were  brought  against  the  company,  which  paid  for 
all  damages. 

The  year  following  the  accident  a  new  waste  way  was  constructed  in 
the  same  place;  it  is  a  well-made  timber  structure  over  which  the  sur- 
plus water  flows.  (PI.  IV.)  As  it  was  built  high  enough  to  impound 
water  to  a  depth  of  only  11  feet  the  original  dam  is  now  much  higher 
than  is  necessary.  The  gravel  on  the  lower  side  of  the  dam  around 
the  lower  end  of  the  outlet  caved  in  and  the  company,  fearing  that  the 
dam  would  eventually  go  out,  abandoned  and  closed  this  outlet  and 
made  a  new  one  at  the  south  end  of  the  new  waste  way.  This  is  similar 
to  the  wooden  head  gates  ordinarily  used  tut  the  heads  of  the  canals. 
There  are  Ave  gates  each  raised  by  a  screw. 

The  company  utilizes  Lost  Lake,  Trap  Lake,  and  Laramie  Lake, 
which  are  just  north  of  Chambers  Lake.  Small  dams  have  been  con- 
structed and  channels  cut  connecting  the  basins  with  Chambers  Lake. 

The  area  of  Chambers  Lake  is  ISO  acres,  and  its  capacity  is  1,259 
acre-feet. 

OPERATION    OF   THE    SYSTEM. 

The  appropriation  of  the  Larimer  County  Canal  of  169.8  cubic  feel 
per  second  was  made  in  1881,  and  it  is  No.  100  in  order  of  priority.  At 
that  time  this  appropriation  was  the  latest  of  the  large  canals  on  the 
river,  that  of  the  North  Poudre  Canal  having  been  made  in  1880,  and 
so  it  was  only  at  a  very  high  stage  of  water  in  the  river  that  the  canal 
was  entitled  to  divert  any  water.  It  was,  therefore,  necessary  that 
the  compan}T  provide  for  an  additional  supply  in  some  manner.  Real- 
izing the  condition,  the  company  has  been  ever  active  and  at  present 

688— No.  134-03 3 


34 

ic  has  one  of  the  most  successful  and  substantial  irrigation  systems  in 
this  section  of  Colorado.  Beginning  with  Chambers  Lake  the  storage 
-\  stem  was  gradually  developed,  the  two  large  reservoirs,  Rocky  Ridge 
and  Long  Pond,  being  improved  in  1892. 

Decreed  priorities  have  been  granted  by  the  court  for  the  reservoirs 
as  follows: 

Nos.  2,  3,  and  4,  dating  from  April  25,  1881,  for  a  depth  of  6  feet, 
or  880,064,500  cubic  feet;  Chambers  Lake,  from  July  12,  1882,  134,- 
176,800  cubic  feet,  and  Nos.  1  and  5,  from  1893,  381,710.020  cubic 
feet.  The  latter  was  at  first  given  with  that  of  Nos.  2,  3,  and  4,  but 
later  it  was  postponed  and  made  junior  to  that  of  the  Windsor  Reser- 
voir. The  rights  of  Lindenmeier  and  Curtis  lakes  have  not  been 
decreed.  Nos.  2,  3,  and  4  and  Chambers  Lake  have  the  earliest  pri- 
orities given  to  any  reservoirs  on  the  river  except  Warren  Lake 
Reservoir  which  was  given  a  decreed  appropriation  along  with  the 
ditches  when  the  rights  to  the  stream  were  adjudicated.  Reservoirs 
Nos.  1  and  5  can  not  be  filled  until  the  Windsor  and  Cache  la  Poudre 
reservoirs  are  filled. 

The  company  has  not  only  been  progressive  in  the  construction  of 
storage  works,  but  has  provided  for  a  supply  of  water  to  fill  them 
in  rather  an  unusual  manner.  Their  methods,  however,  are  now  fol- 
lowed by  a  number  of  the  other  companies.  In  1893  they  constructed, 
at  a  cost  of  $90,000,  the  Laramie  River  or  Sky  Line  Ditch,  which 
collects  its  supply  from  the  head  waters  of  the  Laramie  River  and 
carries  it  over  the  divide  to  Chambers  Lake.  This  ditch,  after  leav- 
ing the  west  branch  of  the  Laramie  River,  runs  1  mile  northeast,  at 
which  point  it  tunnels  through  a  rocky  point  and  turns  to  the  south, 
following  along  the  valley  of  another  branch  of  the  Laramie  River 
until  it  crosses  the  divide  and  enters  Chambers  Lake.  Its  total  length 
is  less  than  5  miles.  In  its  course  the  ditch  crosses  many  small  creeks 
of  the  Laramie  drainage  and  catches  the  flow  of  each.  To  carry  all 
of  this  the  capacity  of  th'e  ditch  had  to  be  increased  from  200  cubic 
feet  per  second  at  the  head  to  350  cubic  feet  per  second  at  the  lower 
end.  The  water  carried  to  Chambers  Lake  is  either  stored  there  or 
run  down  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River  to  the  other  reservoirs,  or  used 
directly  through  the  Larimer  County  Canal  in  the  irrigating  season. 
The  construction  of  the  ditch  was  in  many  places  quite  difficult,  cuts 
having  to  be  made  through  solid  rock  and  on  very  steep  slopes.  The 
company  is  allowed  by  a  decree  of  the  court  to  divert  and  carry  over 
the  divide  through  the  Laramie  River  Ditch,  for  storage  in  their  res- 
ervoirs, 500,000,000  cubic  feet  of  water  annually.  In  the  season  of 
1902  the  ditch  was  first  used  on  May  15,  when  it  carried  oo  cubic  feet 
per  second,  and  on  May  28  the  discharge  had  increased  to  130  cubic 
feet  per  second.  The  average  for  June  was  150,  for  July  90,  for 
August  50,  and  for  September  20  cubic  feet  per  second.     This  is  an 


35 

average  of  about  80  cubic   feet    per  second   for  the  four  and  a  half 

months  and  gives  a  total  of  about  950,000,000  cubic  feet,  or  more  than 

enough  to  fill  all  the  reservoirs  of  the  company  one  and  a  half  times. 

The  Cameron  Pass  Ditch  is  another  ditch  in  the  mountains  owned 

by  tin*  company.  It  diverts  water  from  Michigan  Creek,  a  tributary 
of  the  Laramie  River,  and  carries  ii  over  the  divide  through  ( lameron 
Pass  into  Joe  Wright  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Chambers   Lake.     This 

ditch  has  two  decreed  priorities,  one  dated  L882,  for  1<>  cubic  feet  per 

second,  and  another  dated  L898,  for  L8  cubic  feet  per  second  more. 
In  L902  the  branch  of  Michigan  Creek  from  which  the  ditch  i^  taken 
was  very  low.  Its  maximum  flow  was  7  cubic  feet  per  second  <>n  June 
8  and  on  June  30  it  was  dry.  having  carried  water  for  only  thirty  days. 

The  company  has  also  constructed  that  part  of  the  Grand  River 
Ditch  known  as  the  South  Ditch,  and  by  the  fall  of  L903  expects  to 
have  completed  the  lower  7  miles  of  the  North  Ditch.  The  two  ditches 
run  along- the  western  and  southern  slopes  of  the  Continental  Divide 
and  carry  water  from  streams  tributary  to  the  Grand  River  over  the 
divide  to  the  Cache  la  Poudre.  Numerous  streams  which  are  crossed 
by  the  ditches  reinforce  the  flow.  The  two  ditches  meet  and  discharge 
their  waters  through  South  Poudre  Pass  at  the  head  waters  of  what  is 
commonly  called  the  Big-  South  Poudre.  a  stream  which  joins  the 
Middle  Fork  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  several  miles  below  Chambers 
Lake,  but  it  is  distinct  from  the  South  Fork  of  Cache  la  Poudre  River. 
The  North  Ditch  will  be  12  miles  long  when  completed,  and  it  is  esti- 
mated that  the  first  7  miles  will  furnish  as  much  water  as  the  Laramie 
River  Ditch.  It  is  not  expected  that  any  trouble  will  arise  over  die 
diversions  from  the  Grand  River,  as  its  water  supply  is  probably  still 
much  in  excess  of  the  amount  that  can  be  used  from  it  in  its  own 
valley. 

The  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company  purchased  :'>!  shares  of 
the  Dry  Creek  or  Jackson  Ditch  from  the  Larimer  and  AVeld  Reser- 
voir Company,  which  had  secured  a  right  to  store  the  water  supplied  on 
them  at  all  seasons  by  a  decision  of  the  supreme  court  in  a  case  between 
the  Cache  la  Poudre  Irrigating  Company  and  the  Dry  Creek  Ditch 
Company  and  others.  In  this  case  the  storage  of  surplus  water  on  the 
excessive  decrees  of  an  old  ditch  is  allowed  by  the  court  even  during 
the  irrigation  season.  The  water  secured  by  these  mountain  ditches 
from  other  drainage  basins  is  stored  throughout  the  irrigation  season. 

All  the  reservoirs  of  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company  except 
Chambers  Lake  are  below  the  Larimer  County  Canal,  which  serves  as 
their  inlet  from  the  river.  Its  capacity  is  4o3  cubic  feet  per  second. 
Reservoir  No.  1  receives  water  direct  from  the  canal,  and  the  basins 
below  receive  their  supply  from  No.  1.  Curtis  Lake  is  tilled  directly 
from  the  canal  through  its  own  inlet. 

The  stock  of  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company  is  composed  of 

i 


36 

600  shares,  each  representing  one  water  right,  or  one  six-hundredth 
part  of  the  water  in  the  reservoirs  and  the  Larimer  County  Canal. 
Each  right  is  entitled  to  22.37  acre-feet  in  the  reservoirs,  and  in 
L902  was  worth  $2,250.  Seven  years  ago  they  were  worth  only  $500 
each.  Chambers  Lake  cost  $60,052,  or  $47.68  per  acre-foot,  while  the 
remainder  of  the  system  cost  only$50,000,  or$4.11  per  acre-foot.  The 
latter  low  figure  is  due  to  the  circumstance  that  the  reservoirs  required 
no  artificial  dams  of  any  consequence.  The  average  cost  of  all  the 
reservoirs  per  acre-foot  of  holding  capacity  is  $8.19.  The  annual 
cost  of  maintenance  of  the  company's  property,  including  the  canal,  is 
$1,000. 

From  the  location  of  the  reservoirs  of  the  Water  Supply  and  Stor- 
age1 Company  it  is  necessary  that  the  water,  with  the  exception  of  that 
of  Chambers  Lake,  be  used  by  exchange.  The  outlet  of  Lindenmeier 
Lake  flows  into  Dryr  Creek  and  enters  the  river  above  the  head  gates 
of  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  2  and  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  3  canals.  The 
outlet  of  No.  5  into  Lindenmeier  Lake  flumes  over  the  Larimer  and 
Weld  Canal,  and  the  water  in  No.  5  and  in  those  of  the  system  north 
of  it  can  be  turned  into  the  canal,  or,  together  with  that  in  Lindenmeir 
Lake,  can  be  run  into  the  river.  Curtis  Lake  discharges  into  Dry 
Creek.  The  exchange  is  usually  made  by  running  the  stored  water 
through  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal,  the  same  amount  being  given 
to  the  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  2  and  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  3  canals  from 
the  Windsor  Reservoir,  and,  finally,  a  like  amount  is  taken  into  the 
Larimer  County  Canal  from  the  river.  Since  the  lower  canals  have 
rights  senior  to  those  of  the  Larimer  County  Canal,  they  are  always 
entitled  to  enough  water  to  make  the  exchange.  The  first  exchange 
of  water  in  the  valle}T  was  made  in  1892,  when  Reservoir  No.  5  was 
emptied  into  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal  and  a  like  amount  from  its 
share  in  the  water  of  the  river  given  to  the  Larimer  County-  Canal. 

The  company  has  used  its  reservoirs  to  maintain  a  constant  flow  in 
its  canal,  which  further  complicates  the  distribution.  If  the  river  is 
high  enough  to  entitle  the  Larimer  Canal  Company  to  water  exceeding 
the  amount  specified  to  be  constant  in  the  canal,  the  excess  is  turned 
into  the  reservoirs.  If,  when  the  river  recedes,  the  share  of  the  canal 
falls  below  this  amount,  water  is  turned  out  of  the  reservoirs  to  the 
canals  farther  down  the  river,  and  they,  having  old  rights,  permit  the 
company  to  divert  water  into  its  canal  to  still  maintain  the  constant 
flow.  Owing  to  the  late  priority  of  the  rights  of  the  canal  the  stored 
water  must  be  used  throughout  the  entire  season,  although  most  of  it 
is  used  for  late  irrigation  from  about  August  1  to  10.  Wheat  and  the 
first  two  crops  of  alfalfa  arc  irrigated  in  the  spring,  and  potatoes,  sugar 
beets,  and  the  third  crop  of  alfalfa  in  the  fall.  In  1902  Chambers 
Lake  was  emptied  at  the  rate  of  100  cubic  feet  per  second,  commencing 
August  23.     In  this  year  practically  no  water  was  secured  on  the  decree 


37 

of  the  canal  itself,  although  some  was  obtained  by  the  use  of  rights  Id 
tlif  Pioneer  Ditch. 

In  the  distribution  the  plan  formerly  was  to  run  water  through  the 
whole  canal  all  the  time,  but  in  L902  alternate  runs  of  four  days  each 
were  made  to  two  divisions,  the  upper  and  the  lower.  Tin-  system 
allows  a  greater  amount  of  water  to  be  run;  the  distance  also  being 
shorter  when  supplying  the  upper  division;  the  company  has  found 
this  to  be  an  economical  method,  and  has  decided  to  continue  it.  The 
company  uses  a  weir  in  each  lateral,  and  has  also  a  Large  one  in  the  outlet 
ditch  from  Lindenmeier  Lake  where  water  is  measured  in  exchanging. 
The  gate  used  at  the  heads  of  the  laterals  from  the  Larimer  County 
Canal  is  the  Powell  head  gate.  This  is  an  iron  gate  covering  an 
iron  tube  extending  through  the  canal  bank  and  operated  by  an  iron 
rod  extending  to  the  top  of  the  bank.  The  gate  is  not  vertical,  but 
slopes  with  the  bank  of  the  canal. 

During  1902  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company  sold  from  its 
reservoirs  55,000,000  cubic  feet  of  water  to  the  Larimer  <Sc  Weld 
Reservoir  Company  and  35,000,000  cubic  feet  to  Mr.  B.  H.  Eaton,  the 
price  being  $100  per  million  cubic  feet  in  each  case. 

NORTH  POTJDRE  IRRIGATION  COMPANY'S  SYSTEM. 

The  North  Poudre  Irrigation  Company  was  formerly  known  as  the 
North  Poudre  Land,  Canal,  and  Reservoir  Company.  The  company 
owns  the  North  Poudre  Canal,  which  heads  in  the  canyon  of  the  North 
Fork  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River.  It  is  the  highest  canal  in  the 
valle}'  and  the  only  large  one  not  having  its  head  gate  on  the  main 
river.  This  company  has  also  recently  acquired  part  ownership  in  the 
Poudre  Valley  Canal,  through  which  a  part  of  its  reservoirs  may  he 
filled.  It  is  unfortunate  for  the  canal  that  the  North  Fork  is  con- 
sidered a  part  of  the  main  river  in  the  adjudication  of  rights,  for,  the 
canal  having  the  latest  right  among  the  large  canals,  it  is  often  neces- 
sary that  its  head  gates  be  closed  and  the  flow  of  the  North  Fork 
allowed  to  pass  by  to  reinforce  the  main  river  for  tilling  the  canals 
having  older  rights.  On  the  other  hand,  the  North  Poudre  Canal, 
from  its  location,  profits  nothing  by  a  flood  in  tin1  main  river.  The 
decree  of  the  North  Poudre  Canal  was  granted  by  the  court  in  1880 
and  that  of  the  Larimer  County  Canal  not  until  the  following  year, 
but  in  1893  the  court  decided  that  the  former  should  be  junior  to  the 
latter  on  the  grounds  that  the  North  Poudre  Company  had  not  used 
proper  diligence  in  constructing  its  canal. 

The  construction  of  the  reservoirs  of  the  company  has  therefore 
come  from  necessity  and  has  been  stimulated  by  a  realization  of  the 
value  of  reservoirs  as  a  part  of  an  irrigation  system.  The  system  has 
been  developed  gradually  since  1883,  and  at  present  the  company  owns 
a  greater  number  of  reservoirs  with  a  greater  total  storage  capacity 


38 

than  any  company  in  this  section  of  Colorado.  The  company  believes 
that  with  the  completion  of  the  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir  and  the  Poudre 
Valley  Canal  the  lateness  of  its  right  and  all  other  difficulties  have 
been  overcome. 

RESERVOIR    NO.    1. 

Reservoir  No.  1  was  constructed  in  1883.  Three  embankments 
were  necessary  in  its  construction,  two  each  LOO  feet  long  and  one  200 
feet  long,  the  greatest  height  of  any  of  them  being-  10  feet.  They  are 
11  feet  wide  on  top,  and  the  outside  and  inside  slopes  are  respectively 
;:  to  1  and  2  to  1.     All  the  dams  are  riprapped.- 

The  outlet  is  through  two  wrought-iron  pipes  10  inches  in  diameter 
laid  in  a  cut  under  one  of  the  dams  and  fitted  with  valves  at  the  upper 
end.  The  valves  are  operated  from  the  top  of  a  wooden  bridge  or 
platform  built  out  from  the  top  of  the  dam. 

The  area  of  the  reservoir  is  80  acres,  the  depth  14  feet,  and  the 
capacity  674  acre-feet.     It  cost  $3,000,  or  K4.45  per  acre-foot. 

RESERVOIR    NO.    2. 

Reservoir  No.  2  was  commenced  in  1884,  but  was  not  completed 
until  1891.     The  dam  is  2,000  feet  long  and  its  top  is  35  feet  above 


CONCRETE     COLLAR 


C/?OS5    5ECT/ON  LONGITUDINAL    SECTION 

Fig.  -4. — Cast-iron  pipe  outlet  of  North  Poudre  Reservoir  No.  2,  with  concrete  bed  and  collars. 

the  outlet.  The  outside  slope  is  2  to  1  and  the  inside  slope  4  to  1. 
The  dam  is  15  feet  wide  on  top  and  its  inner  slope  is  well  riprapped. 

The  outlet  consists  of  two  lines  of  20-inch  cast-iron  pipe  in  sections 
12  feet  long,  flanged  and  bolted  together.  The  pipes  rest  on  concrete 
and  a  collar  surrounds  each  joint  (fig.  4).  At  each  end  the  pipes  pro- 
trude through  a  heavy  masonry  wall  constructed  on  a  base  of  concrete. 
The  Chapman  valves  controlling  the  discharge  are  at  the  lower  end  of 
the  pipe,  a  plan,  however,  which  would  not  have  been  permissible  if 
the  outlet  had  been  of  stone.  One  advantage  of  this  plan  is  that  the 
gate  is  always  conveniently  approached  in  case  anything  interferes 
with  its  operation. 

The  area  of  the  reservoir  is  300  acres  and  its  capacity  is  5,000  acre- 
feet.     Its  cost  was  approximately  ST. 500,  or  $1.50  per  acre-foot 


30 


Reservoir  No.  3  was  commenced  in  L884,  but  was  nol  completed 
until  L888.  There  is  one  embankment,  which  is  500  Peel  long,  with 
inside  and  outside  slopes  of  1£  to  J  and  3  to  1.  respectively.     The 

upper  face  <>t  the  dam  is  riprapped. 

The  outlet  is  a  20-inch  cast-iron  pipe,  which  is  -".1  feet  below  the 
top  of  the  dam.  There  are  two  lines  of  pipe  of  1  2-foot  sections  bolted 
together  and  laid  in  a  bed  of  concrete  L8  inches  thick  and  *;  feet  wide. 
Masonry  walls  with  wings  were  constructed  at  both  ends,  and  a  water- 
works valve  placed  at  the  upper  end  regulates  the  discharge.  The 
valve  stem  extends  to  a  wooden  platform  built  out  from  tin1  top  of 
the  dam. 

The  reservoir  is  155  acres  in  area  and  2(5  feet  of  water  may  be 
drawn  from  it.  its  capacity  is  2,550  acre-feet.  It  cost  $5,000,  which 
gives  only  $1.96  per  acre-foot  of  its  holding  capacity. 

RE3ERVOIR    NO.   4. 

Reservoir  No.  4  was  developed  in  1890  by  building  a  dam  500  feet 
long.  The  dam  is  15  feet  wide  on  top,  is  riprapped  with  stone,  and 
the  slopes  are  2  to  1  on  the  outside  and  4  to  1  on  the  inside. 

The*  outlet  is  a  cast-iron  pipe  of  20  inches  inside  diameter,  the  joints 
being  bolted  together.  The  pipe  rests  on  a  foundation  of  concrete 
and  the  joints  are  surrounded  by  concrete  collars.  At  each  end  the 
pipe  is  surrounded  by  transverse  masonry  walls.  The  gate  is  a  Chap- 
man valve  placed  at  the  lower  end,  where  the  water  discharged  falls  on 
an  apron  of  flagging. 

The  water  is  15  feet  deep  over  the  outlet  and  the  area  of  the  high- 
water  surface  is  147  acres.  The  reservoir  holds  1,074  acre  feet.  The 
cost  of  construction  was  $5,000,  or  $4.66  per  acre-foot  of  its  capacity. 

RESERVOIR    NO.   5. 

The  basin  of  Reservoir  No.  5,  which  is  entirely  natural,  is  one-half 
mile  wide  and  over  1  mile  in  length.  About  1884  a  cut  22  feet  deep 
was  made  through  the  rim  of  the  basin  at  the  southeast  end  to  drain  it. 
No  outlet  works  were  installed  until  1892,  when  a  temporary  wooden 
headgate  capable  of  impounding  10  feet  of  water  was  put  in.  In  this 
condition  the  reservoir  has  been  used  since  1895,  except  during  the 
years  1898  and  1899.  When  finally  perfected  according  to  the  plans 
of  the  company,  the  outlet  will  consist  of  large  vitrified  pipes  with 
gates  operated  in  a  masonry  well  at  the  middle  of  the  outlet,  the  whole 
to  be  placed  in  the  open  cut,  which  will  then  be  refilled. 

When  complete  the  reservoir  will  hold  20  feet  of  water,  the  surface 
area  of  which  will  be  495  acres.     Its  capachVy  will  be  r>.74<>  acre-feet. 


40 

Up  to  the  present  time  the  cost  has  been  approximately  $2,000,  and 
when  complete  the  cost  will  be  very  small  considering  the  amount  it 
will  store  With  an  estimated  total  cost  of  $10,000  the  cost  per  acre- 
foot  would  be  only  $1.74. 

RESERVOIR    No.   6. 

This  is  one  of  the  largest  reservoirs  of  the  North  Poudre  Company's 
system.  The  basin  is  partly  natural  and  is  2  miles  in  length  from 
northeast  to  southwest,  with  an  average  width  of  one-third  mile. 

The  outlet  works  were  placed  in  a  cut  through  the  rim  of  the  basin 
:it  the  southeast  end.  The  conduit  is  3  feet  wide  and  4  feet  high.  Its 
floor  is  6  inches  of  concrete  6  feet  wide,  on  which  rest  the  side  walls, 
L8  inches  thick  at  the  bottom  and  1  foot  thick  at  the  top.  the  hatter 
being  on  the  outside.  Flagging  r,  inches  thick  supports  the  earth 
tilled  in  on  top.  The  conduit  is  100  feet  long,  and  walls  17  feet  long, 
(.»  feet  high,  and  %2  feet  thick  are  built  around  both  ends.  Beyond  the 
walls  aprons  25  feet  long  were  made  by  laying  2  by  4-inch  lumber 
flatwise  and  lengthwise.  The  masonry  gate  well  is  4o  feet  from  the 
upper  end.  and  is  4  by  4  feet  inside  and  has  walls  2  feet  thick.  When 
the  outlet  was  constructed  in  1899  the  well  was  only  18  feet  high,  but 
in  the  fall  of  1901  it  was  built  up  to  30  feet  in  height.  At  the  same 
time  the  original  oak  gate  was  replaced  by  an  iron  gate,  which  is 
moved  by  means  of  a  nut  turned  by  a  lever. 

When  complete,  the  reservoir  will  have  an  embankment  at  the  out- 
let which  will  impound  water  to  a  height  of  12  feet  above  the  natural 
surface  of  the  lake.  This  will  require  about  50,000  cubic  yards  of 
earth,  but  the  gate  well  is  already  completed  to  the  full  height.  At 
present  the  company  is  arranging  for  the  completion  of  the  reservoir. 

The  area  of  the  reservoir  is  572  acres,  and  nearly  30  feet  of  water 
can  be  drawn  off.  Its  capacity,  when  complete,  will  be  11,478  acre- 
feet.  The  cost  of  construction  to  the  present  time  is  §3,000,  and, 
when  complete,  it  is  estimated  that  it  will  be  $13,000,  which  will  make 
the  cost  per  acre-foot  §1.13. 

RESERVOIRS   NOS.    7   ANT)    8. 

The  site-  for  these  reservoirs  have  been  acquired  by  the  company, 
but  they  have  not  been  improved.  The  basins  are  natural  and  it  is 
only  necessary  to  make  cuts  to  drain  the  water  off.  They  will  be 
practically  one  reservoir,  the  water  in  No.  7  being  run  into  No.  8 
through  an  open  cut.  and  there  will  be  only  one  discharge  gate,  located 
at  the  south  side  of  No.  v. 

No.  7  is  20  feet  deep  and  24<>  acres  in  area,  and  has  a  capacity  of 
I'. :'.'.''.)  acre-feet:  No.  8  is  4o  feet  deep  and  has  an  area  of  357  acres,  and 
a  capacity  of  s.4<n>  acre-feet.     No.  7  will  hold  more  if  furnished  with 


41 

ahead  gate,  and  the  capacity  of  No.  8  may  l>c  increased  by  connecting 
a  small  basin  on  the  southeast  by  an  open  cut.  The  estimated  cost  for 
developing  the  two  basins  is  placed  by  the  company  at  $10,000,  which 

will  give  93  cents  as  the  cost   per  acre-foot. 

RESERVOIR    No.    !'. 

An  outlet  <ait  has  been  made  from  this  basin,  hut  to  complete  the 
company's  plans  it  still  requires  outlet  works  and  a  small  embankment 
for  impounding  a  greater  depth  of  water.     The  area  is  loo  acres,  and 

its  depth  30  feet.      The  basin  will  hold  L,722  acre-feet. 

RESERVOIR    NO.    11. 

Reservoir  No.  11  is  a  site  just  below  the  North  Poudre  Canal  and 
west  of  Box  Elder  Creek,  consisting  of  what  is  commonly  called 
Stuchell  LaRc.      It  is  small  in  capacity. 

COAL   CREEK    RESERVOIRS. 

These  reservoirs  were  originally  two  natural  basins  known  as  Clark's 

Lakes,  which  were  developed  in  the  summer  of  1902  as  reservoirs 
Nos.  12  and  13  of  the  system.  The  two  basins  are  connected,  a  cut 
being  made  from  No.  13,  in  which  outlet  works  were  installed. 

The  combined  capacity  of  the  reservoirs  is  4,477  acre-feet,  and  their 
area  175  acres.  The  cost  was  $6,000,  which  includes  the  expense  of 
extending  the  North  Poudre  Canal  and  of  constructing  an  inlet  from 
Coal  Creek.     The  cost  per  acre-foot  was  $1.34. 

RESERVOIR    NO.    15. 

On  account  of  the  fact  that  so  many  of  the  company's  reservoirs  can 
in  the  future  be  tilled  from  the  main  river  through  the  Poudre  Valley 
Canal  the  company  now  considers  it  feasible  to  construct  a  new  reser- 
voir to  be  numbered  15,  above  the  North  Poudre  Canal  and  about  :; 
miles  north  of  No.  1.  A  site  has  here  been  found  which  is  above  all 
the  land  under  the  canal.  It  is  proposed  to  use  several  miles  of  the 
North  Poudre  Canal  as  originally  constructed  in  running  the  water 
from  the  North  Fork  in  a  northeasterly  direction  to  a  branch  of  Dry 
Creek.  After  this  stream  reaches  the  plains  a  ditch  Ih  miles  long- 
can  be  constructed  to  convey  the  water  to  the  site.  An  outlet  is 
needed  to  turn  the  water  from  the  basin  into  the  North  Poudre  Canal. 

The  area  of  the  site  is  296  acres;  the  capacity  claimed  is  615  acre- 
feet,  and  the  total  estimated  cost  is  $22,000. 

FOSSIL   CREEK    RESERVOIR. 

The  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir  was  constructed  in  the  spring  of  1902 
and  was  partly  tilled  and  used  during  the  same  year.  It  is  the  only 
large  reservoir  in  the.  valley  south  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River,  and 


42 


i:; 

is  also  distinctive  as  being  completely  isolated  from  the  resi  of  the 
North  Poudre  Irrigation  Company's  system.  It  is  located  in  the  bed 
of  Fossil  Creek,  a  short  distance  above  it-  junction  with  the  river,  the 
dam  being  at  a  point  w  here  the  shallow  valley  of  the  creek  was  narrow 
compared  with  the  portion  above.  While  the  dam  could  probably  not 
have  been  placed  to  make  the  plan  any  more  feasible,  it  was  an  enor- 
mous and  expensive  undertaking. 

The  embankment  as  constructed  is  one-half  mile  long,  and  varies  in 
several  respects  from  the  usual  form  employed  in  the  \  alley  (fig.  5). 
The  slopes  on  both  sides  are  2  to  1.  while  ordinarily  an  inside  slope  is 
from  3  to  1  to  5  to  1.  Water  has  a  tendency  to  make  the  inner  -lope 
of  an  embankment  Hat.  and  the  company,  realizing  this,  has  covered 
the  entire  inner  slope  of  the  dam  with  a  riprapping  superior  in  char- 
actor  to  any  other  in  the  valley.  The  large  rectangular  stones  used 
were  placed  by  hand,  and  give  the  riprapping  the  appearance  of  rub- 
ble masonry  (PL  Y).  The  width  of  the  top  of  the  dam  is  12  feet. 
which,  considered  absolutely,  is  small  for  the  height  of  50  feet,  but 
since  the  top  of  the  dam  is  \2  feet  above  high-watermark  this  is  not  a 
point  that  can  be  criticised.  If  without  changing  the  base  and  slopes 
of  the  dam  this  additional  height  above  the  water  surface  were  only  ♦*> 
feet,  a  height  ordinarily  considered  sufficient,  or  supposing  that  the 
upper  (')  feet  were  cut  off.  then  the  width  of  the  top  would  be  36  feet. 
The  thickness  at  the  high-water  mark  is  60  feet. 

The  outlet  is  of  stone,  and  is  through  the  embankment  below  the 
point  of  its  greatest  height.  The  well  in  which  .the  gates  operate  is  at 
the  middle  of  the  embankment,  is  -i  by  1<)  feet  inside,  and  has  walls  2 
feet  thick.  There  are  three  conduits,  each  2\  feet  wide  by  4  feet  high 
above  the  gates  and  '2  feet  wide  by  3^  feet  high  below  the  gates.  This 
difference  of  size  between  the  upper  and  lower  ends  of  the  conduits  is 
intended  to  increase  the  discharge,  and  is  a  feature  of  a  number  of  the 
reservoirs  of  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company.  The  founda- 
tion and  floor  of  the  outlet  is  8  inches  of  concrete.  The  two  outer 
walls  are  1£  feet  thick,  while  the  two  forming  partitions  between  the 
conduits  are  1  foot  thick.  The  thickness  of  the  flagging  on  top  is 
increased  from  -±  inches  at  the  end  of  the  outlet,  where  there  is  very 
little  pressure,  to  10  inches  at  the  middle,  where  the  great  weight  of 
the  embankment  is  supported.  The  walls  of  the  gate  well  aboye  the 
openings  into  the  conduits  are  supported  by  six  capstones,  each  1  by  1 
by  3^  feet.  The  concrete  foundation  is  extended  to  form  aprons  20 
feet  aboye  the  outlet  and  10  feet  below  it.  and  on  these  rest  the  wing- 
walls.  4^  feet  high  and  2  feet  thick.  The  three  steel  gates  have  wooden 
stems,  and  in  moving  them  power  is  applied  by  means  of  screws  at  the 
top  of  the  well  or  gate  chamber. 

The  following  is  the  amount  of  material  used  in  constructing  the 
outlet:  78  cubic  yards  of  concrete.  212  cubic  yards  of  masonry,  and 


44 


L,666  square  feel  of  flagging  varying  in  thickness.  The  riprapping  of 
the  dam  required  7.174  cubic  yards  of  stone,  which  was  hauled  from 
quarries  in  the  foothills  L5  miles  distant. 

A  distinctive  feature  of  the  reservoir  is  its  waste  way  600  feet  wide. 
It  is  over  a  natural  hill  on  the  southeast  side  of  the  basin  and  at  a  dis- 
tance of  one-fourth  mile  or  more  from  the  dam.  Fossil  Creek  is  sub- 
ject to  Hoods,  and  since  the  dam  crosses  the  channel  of  tin1  stream  it 
is  necessary  that  the  waste  way  he  large  enough  to  carry  all  surplus 
water  and  keep  the  water  level  from  exceeding  the  limit  of  safety. 

The  reservoir  is  705  acres  in  area  and  holds  11.47s  acre-feet.  Its 
cost,  including  the  inlet  and  outlet  ditches,  was  $160,000,  or  $13. M4  per 
acre-foot,  the  latter  figure  being  exceeded  only  by  that  for  Chambers 
Lake  among  the  reservoirs  discussed.     The  dam  alone  cost  $80,000. 

The  inlet  ditch  has  a  capacity  of  400  cubic  feet  per  second  and  runs 
south  from  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River  a  distance  of  about  4£  miles. 
In  running  the  grade  line  of  the  ditch  it  was  found  that  the  head  in 
the  river  would  have  to  be  a  short  distance  above  the  mouth  of  Box 
Elder  Creek,  which  enters  the  river  from  the  north.  Most  of  the 
reservoirs  of  the  company  on  the  north  side  of  the  river  can  be  emptied 
into  Box  Elder  Creek  making  it  serve  as  an  outlet  to  the  river.  There- 
fore, that  the  Fossil  Creek  reservoir  might  profit  by  floods  in  Box 
Elder  Creek  or  figure  in  exchanges  with  reservoirs  on  the  north  side, 
it  was  necessary  for  the  company  to  change  the  course  of  Box  Elder 
Creek  near  its  mouth.  This  was  done  by  constructing  a  ditch  which 
turns  the  waters  of  the  creek  into  the  river  just  above  the  head  of  the 
reservoir  inlet. 

There  are  many  differences  of  opinion  regarding  the  amount  of 
water  available  for  tilling  the  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir.  The  company 
proposes  to  fill  it  twice  each  year — once  during  the  winter  for  early 
irrigation  and  then  again  during  the  spring  floods,  wThich  usually  come 
in  June,  for  the  late  irrigation  of  vegetables. 

Beside  the  supply  received  from  Cache  la  Poudre  River  and  Box 
Elder  Creek  through  the  inlet  ditch,  the  floods  in  Fossil  Creek  are 
available  for  filling  the  reservoir.  This  creek,  although  nearly  dry  a 
part  of  the  year,  at  times  has  contained  a  great  amount  of  wrater  flow- 
ing with  great  velocity  to  Cache  la  Poudre  River,  and  the  mouth 
of  Fossil  Creek  being  not  only  below  the  head  of  any  reservoir 
inlet  ditch  but  below  that  of  any  of  the  larger  canals  save  one,  the 
Cache  la  Poudre  No.  8,  some  of  the  water  would  be  lost  to  the  irriga- 
tors in  this  valley.  These  floods  soon  recede,  but  the  creek  flowing 
directly  into  the  basin  itself,  there  is,  in  this  case,  no  limit  to  the  rate 
at  which  water  can  be  stored  as  is  the  case  with  some,  on  account  of  the 
limited  capacity  of  their  inlets.  A  storm  occurred  June  13,  1901, 
flooding  Fossil  Creek,  and  it  is  estimated  by  those  who  saw  this  flood 
that  the  water  rushing  past  the  place  where  the  dam  is  now  constructed 


U.  S.  Dept.  of  Agr.,  Bui.  134,  Office  of  Expt.  Stations.      Irrigation  Inv. 


Plate  V. 


45 

was  6,000  cubic  feel  per  second,  a  discharge  which  would  lill  the  res- 
ervoir in  twenty-three  hours.  These  estimates  are.  doubtless,  greatly 
exaggerated,  but  there  being  no  measurements  on  which  to  base  a 
reliable  statement,  it  remains  to  be  seen  jusl  what  Fossil  Creek  will  do 
toward  filling  the  reservoir.  On  March  :J.  1903,  the  reservoir  had 
been  filled  to  within  20  inches  of  the  high-water  line  and  the  head  gate 
of  the  inlet  ditch  was  then  (dosed,  as  surface  drainage  was  expected  to 
complete1  the  filling  even  without  the  dune   Hood-. 

After  completing  the  reservoir  in  L902  some  water  was  secured 
through  its  inlet,  but  it  is  claimed  that  this  was  mainly  seepage  water 
which  should  not  have  been  stored.  However,  it  is  probable  that 
nearly  all  the  inlets  in  tin4  valley  are  benefited  by  seepage  water 
entering  them  from  irrigated  lands  above.  The  company's  right  to 
the  waters  of  Fossil  Creek  when  storage  is  allowable  is  conceded,  but 
since  the  reservoir  has  no  decree  and  its  claim  to  water  from  the  river 
is  one  of  the  latest,  it  will  probably  not  be  entitled  to  water  from  the 
river  except  during  flood  times.  It  is  the  intention  of  the  company  to 
till  the  reservoir  twice  each  }Tear,  if  possible — once  from  Fossil  Creek 
during  the  winter  and  a  second  time  from  the  river  through  the  inlet 
ditch.  This  would  be  the  most  economical  use  of  the  water  and 
should  be  established  on  a  legal  basis.  But  if  any  reservoirs  follow- 
ing it  in  order  of  priority  should  be  deprived  of  water  for  storage  it 
is  probable  that  objections  will  be  made,  for  water  is  becoming  so 
valuable  that  every  possible  means  of  increasing  the  supply  is  seized 
upon. 

The  company  claims  the  right  next  after  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Reser- 
voir to  use  the  60  cubic  feet  per  second  of  water  returned  to  the  river 
by  the  flouring  mill  at  Fort  Collins,  because  it  is  the  first  ready  to 
receive  it;  and  if  any  of  this  is  not  used  by  the  latter  during  the  time 
for  storing,  the  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir  will  probably  get  it,  as  it  is 
the  only  other  one  with  an  inlet  placed  so  as  to  receive  it.  It  is  said 
that  an  inlet  ditch  may  be  constructed  from  a  point  in  the  river  below 
the  tail  race  of  the  mill  to  the  Windsor  Reservoir,  but  the  .early  pri- 
ority of  this  reservoir  would  certainly  not  be  sufficient  reason  to 
entitle  it  to  precede  the  other  two  which  already  have  their  inlets 
constructed. 

Fossil  Creek  itself  joins  the  river  below  the  head  of  the  Cache  la 
Poudre  No.  2,  but  the  outlet  ditch  from  the  reservoir  has  less  fall  and 
discharges  into  the  river  just  above  the  head  gate  of  the  canal,  so  that 
the  water  may  be  used  through  either  this  canal  or  the  Cache  la  Poudre 
Canal  No.  3. 

There  are  300  of  the  first  or  preferred  water  rights  in  the  reservoir, 
each  corresponding  to  80  acres.  After  the  completion  of  the  reservoir 
in  1902,  20,000,000  cubic  feet  of  water  was  stored,  and  irrigators  under 
the  Cache  la  Poudre  Canal  No.  2  purchased  150  of  the  rights  for  $300 


4C, 

each,  > > 1 1 1  it  is  n<»t  the  intention  to  sell  any  more.  An  assessment  of 
$4  per  annum  is  made  on  each  right  for  maintenance.  When  it  is 
considered  thai  the  common  price  of  L  ,000,000  cubic  feet  of  water  in 
the  valley  during  L902  was  $100  ana"  ln  one  case  at  least  it  was  $150, 
it  is  surprising  that  these  rights  entitling  the  owner.,  to  1,000,000  cubic 
feel  annually,  for  all  time,  could  be  purchased  for  so  low  a  price  as 
$300.  The  reason  for  this  was  the  immediate  need  of  funds  to  meet 
the  expenses  of  the  company,  it  haying  invested  large  amounts  in  new 
works  which  had  not  vet  yielded  returns. 

OPERATION    OF    THE    SYSTEM. 

None  of  the  North  Poudre  Company's  reservoirs  on  the  north  side 
of  the  river  has  been  decreed  a  certain  amount  based  on  its  capacity, 
but  the  decree  given  the  North  Poudre  Land.  Canal  and  Reservoir 
Company  entitled  it  to  315  cubic  feet  per  second  from  the  North  Fork 
of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  for  the  canal  and  for  the  filling  of  the  first  ten 
reservoirs.  The  date  of  this  priority  is  February  1.  1880,  but  it  is 
practically  of  little  value.  Testimony  is  now  being  taken  for  the 
adjudication  of  reservoir  rights  in  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley,  and  it 
is  expected  that  all  of  the  company's  reservoirs  already  constructed 
will  be  decreed  priorities.  Nos.  1  and  3  will  doubtless  have  very  early 
ones. 

All  of  the  company's  reservoirs  on  the  north  side  may  be  tilled 
through  its  canal.  Reservoirs  Nos.  1.  2.  3,  4.  5.  12.  and  13  are  each 
above  at  least  some  of  the  land  under  the  canal,  while  Nos.  6,  7.  8,  and 
9  must  be  made  to  serve  the  needs  of  the  company  by  exchange.  No. 
1  has  its  own  inlet  ditch  from  the  canal  2  miles  north  of  it.  The  water 
may  be  used  directly  through  the  inlet  ditch  or  may  be  run  into  Dry 
Creek  and  to  the  river  for  exchange  purposes.  Six  of  the  reservoirs 
form  a  chain  lying  in  the  country  between  Dry  and  Box  Elder  creeks 
on  the  east  and  west  and  between  the  North  Poudre  and  Larimer 
County  canals  on  the  north  and  south.  An  inlet  ditch  from  the  North 
Poudre  Canal  enters  Reservoir  No.  2  at  the  north,  and  the  others  are 
connected  with  No.  2.  The  main  outlet  at  No.  6  enters  the  Larimer 
County  Canal  1  mile  below  it.  In  exchanging  most  of  the  water  is 
run  through  this  outlet,  in  which  a  weir  has  been  installed  for  meas- 
uring the  flow.  Water  can  also  be  run  from  Nos.  7  and  8,  when  they 
are  finished,  into  the  Larimer  County  Canal  just  below  them.  Another 
inlet  from  the  North  Poudre  Canal  tills  reservoirs  Nos.  3  and  4.  The 
water  in  these  two  reservoirs  is  used  directly  through  the  ditch  on 
the  company's  lands.  Reservoir  No.  11  is  to  be  tilled  directly  from 
the  canal. 

Reservoirs  Nos.  12  and  13  are  on  the  east  side  of  Box  Elder  and 
Coal  creeks,  which  unite  several  miles  farther  down  the  valley.  In 
1900  the  North  Poudre  Canal  was  extended  from  its  former  terminus 


17 

at  Box  Elder  Creek  t<»  these  two  reservoirs,  and  dams  were  buiif  at 
the  crossings  of  l><>t!i  creek-  bo  thai  the  reservoirs  may  be  filled  by  the 
floods  in  the  creeks  us  well  as  by  the  canal.  They  are  drained  into 
Coal  Creek,  making  it  possible  to  exchange  with  any  of  the  several 
large  canals  below  them. 

The  North  Fork  of  (ache  la  Poudre  River  being  the  main  factor 
in  the  Ailing  of  these  reservoirs,  the  success  of  the  system  depends 
largely  on  1  lit1  amount  of  water  it  furnishes,  and  this  IS  uncertain. 
The  company's  reservoirs  in  the  season  for  storing,  like  their  canal 
during  the  irrigation  season,  are  sometimes  deprived  of  even  the  waters 
of  the  North  Fork  on  account  of  the  inadequate  supply  of  the  main 
river  to  meet  the  demand  for  tilling  reservoirs  with  earlier  rights; 
while,  if  after  these  are  filled  there  he  any  surplus  in  the  main  river, 
it  can  not  be  conducted  to  reservoirs  Nos.  1,  2,  3,  4.  11.  or  the  Coal 
Creek  reservoirs,  on  account  of  their  high  location.  The  same  has 
been  true  of  all  the  others  in  the  past,  but  in  the  future  they  may  he 
filled  from  the  main  river  by  the  Poudre  Valley  Canal.  The  -i.\  res- 
ervoirs used  prior  to  VM)'2  were  successfully  operated,  and  the  unusual 
season  of  1902  was  not  a  fair  test.  By  the  completion  of  the  new  res- 
ervoirs the  storage  capacity  has  been  greatly  increased,  and  while 
their  utility  remains  to  be  proven  it  is  believed  by  those  who  have 
studied  the  situations  that  the  system  will  be  a  success. 

The  location  of  the  reservoirs  is  excellent  for  exchanging  with  any 
other  system  in  the  valley,  they  being  the  highest,  and  any  water 
stored  may  always  be  used  advantageously  somewhere.  But.  after  all 
the  company's  reservoirs  are  full,  the  benefits  to  be  derived  from  the 
lands  under  its  canal  still  depend  in  a  measure  on  the  flow  of  the 
North  Fork  during  the  irrigating  season,  for  the  natural  flow  of  this 
stream  would  probably  often  be  too  small  to  permit  an  exchange. 
The  condition  has  been  greatly  improved,  however,  by  the  construc- 
tion of  the  Sand  Creek  Ditch,  which  reenforces  the  flow  of  the  Cache 
la  Poudre.  and  water  may  be  turned  out  of  the  North  Poudre  reser- 
voirs for  use  by  the  owners  of  the  Sand  Creek  Ditch  through  the 
Larimer  and  Weld  Canal,  while  the  North  Poudre  Company  is  receiv- 
ing the  water  furnished  by  the  Sand  (/reek  Ditch  from  the  head  waters 
of  the  Laramie  River.  The  company  has  desired  a  consolidation  of 
these  interests  so  as  to  insure  such  an  exchange.  It  was  proposed 
also  that  the  capital  be  increased  to  enable  it  to  enlarge  its  canal  from 
a  capacity  of  about  230  to  600  feet  per  second,  and  construct  a 
masonry  dam  in  the  canyon  of  the  North  Fork  one-half  mile  below 
the  present  head  works,  abandoning  the  expensive  lluming  and  tunnel- 
ing between  these  two  points.  The  proposed  dam  would  have  to  be 
90  feet  high  in  order  to  raise  the  water  in  the  stream  to  the  grade  of 
the  canal  at  that  point.  It  is  similar  in  design  to  the  Home  Supply 
Dam,  in  the  Big  Thompson  River.     No  agreement  has  been  reached, 


48 

but  the  exchange  will  doubtless  be  made  each  year,  for  while  the 
various  companies  in  the  valley  never  cease  to  advance  their  own 
interests,  they  seem  to  be  ready  to  enter  into  deals  intended  to  benefit 
their  neighbors  so  long  as  they  do  not  lose  any  advantage. 

The  exchanges  made  by  the  company  may  be  some  in  which  all  the 
systems  in  the  valley  are  interested,  and  when  this  happens  each  of 
the  reservoirs  is  -imply  reenforcing  the  canal  first  below  it.  to  which 
it  seems  to  properly  belong.  There  being  no  reservoirs  above  the 
North  Poudre  Company's  canal,  it  must  be  repaid  for  the  water 
given  from  its  reservoirs  by  water  taken  directly  into  its  canal, 
and  the  lower  canals,  having  received  stored  water,  must  give  this 
from  their  share  in  the  river.  Thus  all  profit  by  the  stored  water, 
provided  the  supply  of  the  North  Fork  be  sufficient  to  repay  the 
North  Poudre  Company.  The  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir,  while  above 
only  two  of  the  large  canals,  greatly  facilitates  exchanges  by  the  com- 
pany, as  it  adds  materially  to  the  storage  capacity  of  the  system.  The 
completion  of  this  reservoir  and  the  acquirement  of  the  right  to  use 
the  Poudre  Valley  Canal  has  greatly  improved  the  situation  for  the 
company. 

Recently  the  North  Poudre  Company  became  owners  of  41  per  cent 
of  the  Poudre  Valley  Canal  by  the  transfer  of  the  Douglas  Reservoir, 
which  was  constructed  in  1902  by  the  company  as  No.  1<>  of  their  sys- 
tem, to  the  Poudre  Valley  Reservoir  Company  in  exchange  for  $75,000 
of  the  latter's  stock,  and  by  the  purchase  of  $27,500  of  additional  stock. 
The  first  17  miles  of  this  canal  will  be  finished  before  the  spring  floods 
of  1903,  so  that  not  only  the  Douglas  Reservoir,  but  North  Poudre 
reservoirs  Nos.  5  and  6.  and  Nos.  7.  8,  and  9  when  completed,  may  be 
rilled  from  the  main  river,  leaving  only  those  above  the  Poudre  Valley 
Canal  to  depend  on  the  North  Fork  as  heretofore.  This  will  be  ade- 
quate for  tilling  these  upper  reservoirs,  and  they  will  supply  the  com- 
pany's lands,  while  those  below  the  Poudre  Valley  Canal  will  be  used 
in  exchanges,  which  will  no  longer  be  limited  to  the  flow  of  the  North 
Fork. 

The  North  Poudre  Irrigation  Company  owns  about  20,000  acres  of 
land  under  its  canal.  This  land,  together  with  the  water  rights  belong- 
ing to  it.  is  being  sold  to  individuals.  Twenty-live  shares  of  stock  are 
sold  with  each  80  acres;  therefore  this  amount  of  stock  is  equivalent 
to  an  80-acre  water  right.  There  are  320  water  rights  in  the  company. 
The  entire  capital  stock  of  the  company  is  $400,000.  At  present-  the 
company  furnishes  water  to  fulfill  the  conditions  of  about  one-half  of 
o<>  water-right  contracts  sold  prior  to  the  transfer  of  the  system  to  the 
North  Poudre  Irrigation  Company.  These  old  rights,  which  were 
originally  acquired  for  *^.">  per  right  per  annum,  are  gradually  being 
surrendered  in  exchange  for  20  shares  of  stock  in  the  North  Poudre 


49 

Company,  which  gives  their  owners  a  proportion  of  the  stored  water  as 

well  as  of  that   from  the  canal. 

In  L902  the  company  sold  1.0,000,000  cubic  feel  of  water  from  their 
reservoirs  to  Mr.  B.  II.  Baton  for  $100  per  million  cubic  feet. 

The  total  cost  of  the  nine  reservoirs  of  the  company  already  con- 
structed is  $201,500,  or  $4.77  per  acre-foot.  The  six  reservoirs  used 
prior  to  L902  cost  approximately  $3,500  for  maintenance  and  operation. 

DOUGLAS  RESERVOIR. 

The  Douglas  Reservoir  is  the  property  of  the  Poudre  Valley  Reser- 
voir Company,  having  been  purchased  from  the  North  Poudre  Irriga- 
tion Company,  who  constructed  it  in  L 902  as  Reservoir  No.  10  of  its 
system.  It  is  located  in  Dry  Creek  Valley,  where  there  are  low  hills 
on  the  east  side  and  the  south  end.  The  creek  entering  this  basin  at 
the  north  turns  to  the  southwest,  passing  through  a  break  in  a  little 
ridge  on  the  west  side.  At  this  point  an  embankment  2,300  feet  long 
was  constructed,  its  greatest  height  being  34  feet.  It  is  11  feet  wide 
on  top,  with  slopes  of  2  to  1  on  both  inside  and  outside.  The  dam  is 
not  }ret  riprapped,  but  will  be  protected  by  stone. 

The  outlet  consists  of  i\  rectangular  stone  conduit  3  feet  wide  and 
4£  feet  high,  with  a  floor  and  top  of  flagging  and  side  walls  of  masonry. 
The  stone  gate  well  projects  through  the  top  of  the  dam  at  its  inner 
edge.  There  are  two  oak  gates  covering  the  opening  of  the  well  into 
the  conduit  below  it  and  sliding  vertically  in  a  wooden  frame  set  against 
the  wall.  They  are  raised  and  lowered  by  screws  at  the  top  of  the 
gate  stems. 

The  basin  is  oblong  in  shape,  w7ith  quite  regular  contours,  and  covers 
586  acres.  When  the  dam  is  riprapped  it  may  be  safely  filled  to  a 
depth  of  30  feet.  The  reservoir  is  the  only  one  in  the  valley  having  a 
dam  on  the  west  side,  and  since  the  winds  generally  come  from  the 
w<vst  in  this  locality,  it  will  not  be  subject  to  the  beating  of  waves  as 
much  as  it  would  were  it  situated  on  the  east  or  south  side  of  the  basin. 
The  capacity  of  the  reservoir  is  10,547  acre  feet,  and  its  cost,  including 
the  land,  was  s.50,000,  or  SI. 7-1  per  acre-foot.  The  cost  of  the  dam 
alone  was  S^.oOO. 

The  failure  to  entirely  till  the  Larimer  and  "Weld  Reservoir  in  L902 
was  a  surprise  to  the  irrigators  under  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal 
depending  upon  it,  but  instead  of  becoming  discouraged  they  immedi- 
ately commenced  preparations  for  additional  storage  works.  This  was 
not  done  by  either  the  Larimer  and  Wold  Irrigation  Company  or  the 
Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir  Company,  but  by  an  entirely  new 
organization.  including  largely  the  same  parties  interested  in  both 
companies,  and  incorporated  as  the  Poudre  Valley  Reservoir  Company. 
Their  original  plans,  which  are  described  fully  in  the  description  of 

688— No.  134—03 1 


50 

the  Poudre  Valley  Reservoir  site,  were  to  construct  storage  works  of 
Large  capacity  east  of  Box  Elder  Creek,  and  also  an  inlet  canal  for 
filling  them. 

The  capital  stock  of  the  company  was  $250,000,  divided  into  2,500 
shares.  The  contract  for  the  construction  of  the  inlet  was  let  for 
$200,000,  li'i  cents  per  cubic  yard  being  stipulated  for  the  earth  work. 
:;i  cents  for  loose  rock,  and  99  cents  for  solid  rock.  The  canal  was  to 
be  30  feet  wide  on  the  bottom,  7  feet  deep,  and  over  30  miles  long. 
Its  carrying  capacity  was  to  be  600  or  700  cubic  feet  per  second.  The 
company,  not  having  sufficient  capital  for  the  completion  of  the  work 
as  at  first  planned,  abandoned  the  idea  of  constructing  a  reservoir  and 
instead  made  the  arrangement,  referred  to  above,  with  the  North 
Poudre  Irrigation  Company  by  which  it  acquired  the  Douglas  Reser- 
voir. The  inlet  canal  was  to  run  just  around  and  above  the  Douglas 
Reservoir,  and  water  can  conveniently  be  run  into  the  reservoir  from 
it.  An  agreement  between  the  two  companies  was  finally  reached 
about  March  1,  1903,  by  which  the  North  Poudre  Company  agreed 
to  transfer  the  reservoir  to  the  Poudre  Valley  Company  for  $75,000 
worth  of  their  stock.  The  North  Poudre  Company  also  purchased  an 
additional  $27,500  worth  of  stock  and  became  owners  of  11  per  cent 
of  the  stock  in  the  Poudre  Valley  Company.  It  being  proposed  to 
enlarge  the  reservoir,  the  North  Poudre  Company  also  agreed  to  have 
the  reservoir  surveyed  for  storing  10  feet  in  depth  in  addition  to  the 
present  capacity  at  the  30-foot  contour. 

This  transfer  will  be  an  advantage  to  both  companies,  for  the  North 
Poudre  Company  can  well  spare  one  reservoir  from  its  large  system 
and  will  now  be  able  to  use  the  large  Poudre  Valley  Canal  for  tilling 
reservoirs  Nos.  5,  6,  7,  8,  and  1)  of  its  system  from  the  main  river. 
The  Poudre  Valley  Company  could  not  at  the  time  secure  the  capital 
for  the  completion  of  its  proposed  work,  but  can  now  have  a  reservoir 
large  enough  for  its  needs.  The  first  17  miles  of  the  Poudre  Valley 
Canal  has  been  completed,  and  it  will  supply  enough  water  to  till  the 
Douglas  Reservoir  and  the  reservoirs  of  the  North  Poudre  Compaiw 
referred  to.  In  constructing  the  canal  it  was  necessary  to  remove 
much  more  rock  than  was  at  first  expected,  and  the  cost  up  to  the 
present  has  been  $150,000.  The  canal  will  probably  never  be  extended 
as  first  planned.     (PI.  Ill,  tig.  2.) 

The  Douglas  Reservoir  may  supply  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal 
without  exchange  by  running  the  water  down  Dry  Creek,  although  it 
is  possible  that  the  water  will  lie  run  to  the  Larimer  County  Canal  and 
the  same  amount  taken  from  the  reservoirs  of  the  Water  Supply  and 
Storage  Company  for  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Canal. 

The  Poudre  Valley  Company  was  wise  in  constructing  a  large  inlet, 
for  as  it  can  expect  to  receive  flood  water  omj  it  must  be  able  to  take 
large  quantities  in  the  short  time  the  floods  last. 

The  embankment  of  Douglas  Reservoir  is  across  Dry  Creek,  which 


51 

may  furnish  some  water  for  filling  the  basin.     The  Larimer  and  Weld 

Reservoir  lias  the  first  claim  on  this  water,  bul  since  i  he  t  w<>  reservoirs 

arc  owned  by  practically  the  same  interests  no  difficulties  are  Likerj  to 

arise  in  any  case. 

WARREN  LAKE  RESERVOIR. 

The  Warren  Lake   Reservoir  is  the  oldest  in  the  Cache  la  Poudre 

Valley,  and  is  the  only  one  which  was  given  a  decree  with  the  ditches 
in  1882.  The  decree,  unlike  those  given  to  the  other  reservoirs, 
entitles  it  to  he  tilled  by  a  certain  How  through  its  inlet  instead  of 
allowing  it  a  certain  volume  of  water  from  the  river,  intended  to  he 
equal  to  the  capacity  of  the  reservoir.  The  decreed  righl  dates  from 
April  15,  t875,  and  is  for  880  statute  inches  or  22.92  cubic  feet  per 
second.  The  decree  also  states  that  this  is  based  on  its  area  of  L10  acres 
covered  to  a  depth  of  5  feet,  which  would  be  a  volume  of  23,958,000 
cubic  feet  or  .V>(>  acre-feet.  At  present  S  feet  of  water  can  be  drawn 
off.  It  would  require  a  little  over  twelve  days  to  store  the  given  vol- 
ume at  the  given  rate  of  flow. 

The  embankment  is  several  hundred  feet  long  and  curves  around 
the  northeast  corner.  It  is  10  feet  high  and  has  a  slope  of  1£  to  1  on 
the  outside,  while  its  inner  face  is  a  rubble  masonry  wall  almost  per- 
pendicular. The  width  on  top,  along  which  a  public  road  runs,  is  24 
feet.  The  gate  slides  in  a  wooden  frame  against  the  inner  face  of  the 
wall  and  covers  the  upper  end  of  the  outlet  conduit.  It  is  raised  by  a 
screw  at  the  top  of  this  frame.  The  reservoir  is  used  in  connection 
with  the  Larimer  County  Canal  No.  2,  and  is  owned  by  the  Warren 
Lake  Reservoir  Company.     It  supplies  only  lands  near  the  lower  end 

of  the  canal. 

CLAYMORE  LAKE  RESERVOIR. 

Clavmore  Lake  is  situated  on  the  lower  side  of  the  Cache  la  Poudre, 
just  outside  the  foothills,  and  belongs  to  the  Pleasant  Valley  and  Lake 
Canal  Company.  It  is  just  above  the  canal  and  aids  in  the  irrigation 
of  the  land  under  the  canal  below  the  reservoir  outlet.  The  reservoir 
has  a  small  embankment.  The  area  of  the  high  water  surface  is  bit 
acres,  and  its  filing  is  for  39,000,000  cubic  feet  or  895  acre-feet,  and 
its  capacity  is  claimed  to  be  1,148  acre-feet;  but  both  of  these  are 
probably  too  high. 

WINDSOR  LAKE  RESERVOIR. 

Windsor  Lake  is  located  at  the  town  of  Windsor  and  should  not  be 
confused  with  the  Windsor  Reservoir  3  miles  north  of  it.  It  is  owned 
by  a  number  of  irrigators  under  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Canal  No.  2.  and 
is  between  the  canal  and  the  river.  These  irrigators  exchange  their 
rights  in  the  canal  for  the  right  to  till  the  reservoir  from  the  canal  at 
the  time  of  the  spring  floods,  which  allows  them  to  use  the  water  at 
their  convenience.  The  lake  also  receives  considerable  water  from 
seepage. 


52 

The  reservoir  was  originally  ;i  natural  lake  and  was  converted  into 
a  reservoir  impounding  6  feet  of  water  covering  L50  acres.  Its  capac- 
ity is  estimated  to  be  918  acre-feet.  It  irrigates  640  acres  of  land,  the 
entire  potato  crop  of  which  depends  upon  it.  Ten  acre--  of  fruit  trees 
are  kept  alive  by  running  water  to  them  until  late  in  the  fall,  which 
prevents  them  from  dying  during  the  winter. 

The  reservoir  did  not  cost  over  $1,000,  and  it  is  valued  at  $15,000. 
The  cost  of  maintenance  is  about  $25  per  annum,  and  a-  there  is  plenty 
of  water,  each  irrigator  uses  water  as  he  needs  it  without  its  being 
measured. 

The  wooden  head  gate  which  serves  as  the  outlet  is  placed  in  a  flume 
4  feet  wide  and  1(>  feet  long,  made  of  2-inch  plank.  A  slight  embank- 
ment made  of  brush  extends  for  75  feet  on  both  sides  of  the  head  gate, 
although  the  flume  is  placed  in  a  cut.  The  gate  is  raised  by  a  lever 
turning  a  pinion  gearing  with  a  rack  on  the  gate  stem. 

WOOD  RESERVOIR. 

The  Wood  Reservoir  is  owned  by  A.  J.  P^aton.  Seepage  alone  is  its 
source  of  supply.  It  is  tilled  at  least  once  each  year  and  is  kept  fairly 
well  rilled,  except  when  the  demand  on  it  is  heavy.  Its  area  is  12<> 
acres  and  its  depth  8  feet.  The  basin  is  entirely  natural  and  an  outlet 
made  of  3-inch  lumber  was  the  only  construction  work  necessary.  It 
is  the  sole  dependence  of  600  acres,  and  in  1901  210  acres  of  this  was 
in  potatoes,  which  received  plenty  of  water,  and  at  the  same  time  a 
neighbor  was  furnished  water  from  the  reservoir  for  15  acres  of 
potatoes. 

The  outlet  cost  $200,  and  the  total  cost  was  not  over  $2,000.  The 
value  of  the  water  furnished  annually  by  it  is  £2. 000.  The  claim  of 
the  reservoir  is  for  120,000,000  cubic  feet  or  2,755  acre-feet,  but  this 
capacity  is  too  large  for  the  dimensions  given.  It  is  probable  that 
the  capacity  is  something  less  than  that  given. 

LAKE  LEE. 

Lake  Lee  is  a  natural  basin  through  which  the  Larimer  and  Weld 
Canal  runs.  The  only  artificial  work  is  a  set  of  wooden  gates  in  the 
canal  about  200  feet  below  the  lake.  The  gates  will  hold  a  head  of  S  feet 
and  by  so  doing  the  flow  in  the  lower  end  of  the  canal  is  better  regu- 
lated. The  owner  of  the  reservoir  is  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Irrigation 
Company,  and  it  is  utilized  in  an  exchange  with  the  Cache  la  Poudre 
Canal  No.  2.  Water  from  the  river  belonging  to  the  latter  is  taken 
by  the  upper  canal  and  held  in  Lake  Lee.  and  is  paid  for  from  the 
Windsor  Reservoir.  The  head  works  consists  of  5  gates  of  3-inch 
plank,  placed  in  a  wooden  flume  21  feet  wide  and  35  feet  long  and 
raised  by  a  screw.  Lake  Lee  is  67  acres  in  area  and  holds  321  acre 
feet  of  water. 


53 


PROPOSED  RESERVOIRS 


I'oiiuik    \  ua.va    -ii  r. 


The  Poudre  Valley  Reservoir  Company,  which  recently  purchased 
the  Douglas  Reservoir,  has  only  partially  carried  out  its  original  plans 
to  construct  an  immense  system  of  storage  works  which  would  furnish 
water  for  their  lands  under  the  Larimer  and  Weld  (anal.  In  brief, 
the  papers  filed  stated  that  it  was  the  intention  to  divert  water  from 
Cache  la  Poudre  River  by  a  canal  or  inlet  ditch,  to  he  constructed 
with  it-  head  gate  in  sec.  1<».  T.  s  N..  R.  7»»  \Y..  and  to  secure  Hood 
waters  from  Dry  Creek,  Box  Elder  Creek,  and  all  draws  crossed  by 
the  iidet  ditch,  for  storage  in  three  reservoirs  to  he  constructed  in 
sees.  L3,  14.  23,  l'L  lV>.  i^i.  and  36,  T.  8  N..  R.  68  \Y..  and  sec.  31,  T. 
s  N.,  R.  67  W.  The  company  reserved  the  right  to  acquire,  by  pur- 
chase, donation,  or  otherwise,  rights  of  appropriations  of  water  from 
adjacent  sheds  and  appropriations  for  other  proposed  enterprises  sur- 
veyed in  the  same  location  and  to  acquire  the  use  of  any  canal  under 
the  reservoirs. 

The  sites  were  surveyed,  and  the  areas,  depths,  and  capacities  of 
the  basins  are  given,  as  follows: 

Capacities  of  Poudre  Valley  Reservoir  sites. 


Site. 


Acres. 

No.  1 159 

No.  2 75 

No.  3 983 

TV  >tal • 1,217 


Depth. 


(     IpiH  Itv. 


Feet.  Cubic  feet.  Acre-feet. 

26  101,930,400                2,340 

19  33,105,600                   760 

68  1,273,694,400              29,240 


32,  340 


No.  3  includes  two  basins.  These  basins  are  natural  depressions, 
and  the  reservoir  as  proposed  was  to  have  two  embankments,  one  at 
the  north  end  of  No.  3,  about  one-half  mile  in  length,  and  another  at 
the  southeast  end  of  the  basin,  connected  with  No.  3,  about  500  feet  in 
length.  These  sites,  which  compare  in  size  with  Boyd  Lake,  unlike 
other  large  sites,  have  not  been  under  consideration  for  many  years, 
but  seem  to  have  just  recently  come  to  the  notice  of  the  public.  The 
Poudre  Valley  Company  originally  stated  that  if  after  the  reservoirs 
were  completed  and  successfully  operated  the  conditions  justified  such 
a  measure,  its  canal  would  be  extended  to  the  east,  crossing  the  Union 
Pacific  Railroad  north  of  the  town  of  Pierce,  to  cover  much  valuable 
land  above  the  Larimer  County  Canal. 


54 

1.1  \K    LAKE    BITES. 

A  claim  was  filed  in  L902  for  the  Link  Lake  and  Ditch  System,  the 
intention  being  to  connect  eight  basins  in  the  mountains  as  one  system. 
All  of  the  basins  are  small,  and  the  capacities  claimed  were  given  as 
follows: 

Acic-fect.  Acre-feet 

No.  6 300 

No.  7 440 

No.  8 2,  000 


No.  1 1,060 

No.  2 1,400 

No.  :: 525 

No,  I 500 

No.  5 700 


Total 6,925 


These  sites  are  in  sees.  4:,  5,  6,  7,  8,  and  9,  T.  8  N.,  R.  7l>  W.  Nos.  1, 
2,  3,  and  4  are  situated  on  Rawah  Creek,  a  tributary  of  Laramie  River. 
It  is  the  intention  to  discharge  the  water  from  one  basin  into  another 
successively.  At  No.  4:  a  ditch  is  to  convey  the  water  to  the  Laramie 
River  Ditch  of  the  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company.  Nos.  5,  6, 
7.  and  8  are  above  the  grade  of  the  ditch  at  different  points  along  its 
line  and  are  to  be  emptied  into  the  ditch.  The  intention  is  to  use  the 
Laramie  River  Ditch  and  the  Cache  la  Poudre  River  in  conveying  the 
water  to  lands  on  the  plains  outside  the  foothills.  Rawah  Creek 
enters  the  Laramie  River  below  the  head  of  the  Laramie  River  Ditch, 
and  therefore  the  scheme,  if  carried  out,  will  not  affect  existing  inter- 
ests in  Colorado. 

SAND   CREEK    SITE. 

In  1901  a  tiling  was  made  by  R.  Q.  Tenney  and  B.  H.  Eaton  for  a 
reservoir  located  on  Sand  Creek  with  the  ditch  of  that  name,  which  is 
now  in  operation.  The  capacity  given  was  4:4:8,394.4:57  cubic  feet. 
The  water  stored  would  be  taken  from  Sand  Creek  and  used  in  the 
Cache  la  Poudre  Valley. 

NUN    CREEK    SITE. 

There  is  a  proposition  to  construct  a  reservoir,  to  be  known  as  the 
Nun  Creek  Reservoir,  which  is  to  be  tilled  from  a  ditch  from  Nun  Creek. 
Nun  Creek  is  a  tributary  of  the  Laramie  River.  The  water  would  be 
taken  across  the  divide  and  discharged  into  the  Middle  Fork  of  the 
Cache  la  Poudre.  The  proposed  ditch  and  reservoir  are  to  be  located 
in  the  vicinity  of  the  Bob  Creek  Ditch  owned  by  the  Larimer  and 
Weld  Reservoir  Company. 

SEE  LEYS    LAKE    SITE. 

Seeleys  Lake  is  located  a  few  miles  northwest  of  Greeley  under  the 
Cache  la  Poudre  Canal  No.  2,  and  has  been  tiled  upon  for  a  reservoir 
for  irrigation,  its  capacity  being  given  as  90,000,000  cubic  feet,  or 
2,066  acre-feet.  At  present  it  is  a  natural  lake  used  for  fishing  and 
boating  and  covers  about  one  quarter  section.  It  will  probably  be 
developed  in  the  near  future. 


55 

RESERVOIRS  ON  BIG  THOMPSON  RIVER. 
LAKE  LOVELAND. 

Lake  Loveland  is  now  the  property  of  the  Greeley  and  Loveland 
Irrigation  Company,  which  owns  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal  and 
the  Barnes  Pitch.  It  was  purchased  with  the  rest  of  the  system  about 
March  1.  L903,  from  the  New  Loveland  and  Greeley  Irrigation  and 
Land  Company.  Before  the  transfer,  farmers  under  the  canal  had 
purchased  all  the  rights  in  Lake  Loveland  except  65.  Fifty-three  of 
the  remaining  rights  were  boughi  by  the  farmers  for  *7.~><>  each.  The 
remaining  L2  were  reserved  on  account  of  a  contract  with  the  Love- 
land Sugar  Company.  The  price  paid  for  the  old  company's  interest 
in  the  entire  system  was  ft4S.r>nu. 

The  Loveland  and  Greeley  Irrigation  and  Land  Company,  which 
developed  this  reservoir  site,  represented  practically  the  same  interests 
as  does  the  Colorado  Mortgage  and  Investment  Company  of  Denver, 
and  was  known  locally  as  tin4  **  English  Company  "and  its  canal  as  the 
"  English  Ditch."  They  originally  purchased  the  old  Larimer  County 
Irrigating  and  Manufacturing  Ditch,  commonly  called,  from  its  builder, 
the  Chubbuck  Ditch,  and  enlarged  it,  making  it  what  is  now  the  upper 
end  of  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal.  The  rights  in  the  old  ditch 
tire  now  known  as  the  Chubbuck  rights  in  the  canal.  The  same  com- 
pany also  purchased  the  Barnes  Ditch,  which  they  enlarged  so  that  it 
might  be  used  as  the  inlet  to  Lake  Loveland.  In  fulfilling  conditions 
of  agreements  in  both  these  purchases  the  owners  of  the  canal  furnish 
water  free  and  for  all  time  to  the  owners  of  the  original  rights  in  the 
two  ditches,  but  these  do  not  extend  to  tin4  reservoir,  as  it  was  not 
constructed  until  1896,  several  years  after  the  agreement. 

In  1891  parties  tiled  papers  of  incorporation  as  the  Farmer's  Irri- 
gating and  Reservoir  Company,  intending  to  utilize  what  is  now  the 
basin  of  Lake  Loveland,  and  claimed  over  500,000,000  cubic  feet  of 
water  from  the  Big  Thompson  River  to  till  it.  It  was  to  be  called  the 
Hays  Reservoir.  Again  in  1893  it  was  tiled  on  as  the  Peoples  Res  r 
voir,  566,715,512  cubic  feet  being  claimed  as  the  capacity.  These 
plans  were  not  carried  out  and  it  was  left  for  the  Loveland  and 
Greeley  Company  to  develop  the  site  at  a  later  date.  The  natural 
lake  was  known  as  Kilburn  Lake  and  it  was  ideally  located  for  a 
reservoir  to  be  used  in  connection  with  the  Loveland  and  Greeley 
Canal.  The  capacity  was  greatly  increased  by  the  construction  of  an 
embankment  along  the  rim  of  the  basin  at  the  south  side  for  a  length 
of  400  feet,  the  greatest  height  being  is  feet.  It  is  20  feet  wide  at 
the  top,  along  which  runs  a  county  road,  and  has  an  outside  slope 
of  1^  to  1  and  an  inside  slope  of  3  to  1.  The  inner  face  is  well  riprapped 
with  loose  stone  and  when  the  reservoir  is  full  there  is  only  15  feet  of 
water  against  the  dam.     (Fig.  (>.) 


M\ 


■■■•"  WWMmPMM^WsMWMM/M, 


PROFILE      OF     OUTLET 


T.  5  NJ    R.69W. 


CO/vc#£Te 


SECTION    OF     WATER 
CUSHION      CD 


CROSS    SECTION    GH 

30  Ft.    >. 


GATE 

1 6 

'{h "'  i                         t          i 

J3p-S\ 

R^^x^s^y 

SECTION    OF    TOWER     EF 


r 


CROSS    SECTION    OF    DAM 


Fk;.  6.— Design  <>f  dam  and  outlet  of  Lake  Loveland. 


57 

The  outlet,  instead  of  being  made  through  or  belo^  the  dam,  was 
made  through  the  natural  bank  at  the  south  side  near  the  east  end  of 

the  (lam.  The  conduit  is  a  pipe  of  hard  brick  laid  in  cement.  The 
inside  diameter  of  the  pipe  is  ■>  feel  and  it  is  about  three-quarters  of  a 
mile  long,  running  under  one  end  of  the  town  of  Loveland  in  a  tunnel. 
At  theedge  of  the  reservoir  the  outlet  is  l.~»  feci  below  the  surface  of  the 
ground,  which  slopes  gradually  toward  the  Big  Thompson  River,  the 
outlet  being  only  1-  feet  below  the  surface  at  the  Lower  end.  Below 
this  point  the  water  is  carried  through  an  open  cut  for  a  distance  of 
about  one-fourth  of  a  mile  until  it  joins  the  Loveland  and  ( rreeley  ( 'anal. 
Unusual  care  was  taken  to  prevent  the  water  issuing  from  the  conduit 
from  cutting  out  the  ditch.  A.n  apron  of  concrete  2  feet  thick  was  laid 
extending  15  feet  below  the  outlet  and  on  this  was  built  a  transverse 
retaining  wall  with  wings  extending  out  at  angles,  all  of  hard  brick 
and  capped  with  stone.  These  walls  are  2  feet  thick  and  1»»  feet  high. 
Near  the  lower  edge  of  tin4  concrete  apron  a  low  brick  wall  was  placed 
across  the  water  channel  between  the  ends  of  the  wine-  walls  so  that 
it  would  check  the  force  of  the  water  spouting  from  the  outlet  pipe. 
This  wall  is  -U  feet  high  and  is  2  feet  thick  at  the  base  and  slopes  to  a 
width  of  13  inches  on  top.  It  is  supported  on  the  lower  side  by 
concrete  and  its  top  is  only  6  inches  above  the  grade  of  the  ditch 
below  it. 

The  upper  end  of  the  outlet  extends  into  a  tower  of  hard  brick  from 
which  the  gates  are  operated  and  which  is  about  150  feet  out  from  the 
water's  edge  when  the  reservoir  is  full,  making  it  necessary  for  the 
operator  to  use  a  boat  to  reach  it.  The  tower  is  built  on  a  concrete 
foundation  3  feet  thick  and  is  square  for  a  height  of  15  feet  at  the 
base.  For  this  distance  it  is  7  feet  square  inside.  Above  the  tower 
is  round  and  is  8  feet  in  diameter  on  the  inside.  The  wall  is  3  feet 
thick  at  the  base  and  slopes  to  a  thickness  of  16  inches  at  the  top,  the 
slope  being  on  the  outside.  The  total  height  of  the  brickwork  is  51 
feet.  The  tower  is  covered  by  a  conical  roof,  and  at  a  height  of  42 
feet  above  the  base  a  wooden  floor  is  placed  around  the  outside  like  a 
veranda  and  also  on  the  inside.  The  gates  are  operated  from  this 
floor  or  platform,  which  is  2  feet  above  the  high-water  mark.  The 
outlet  pipe  is  enlarged  at  its  opening  into  the  well  and  tapers  for  a 
distance  of  16  feet  until  it  becomes  5  feet  in  diameter.  The  water 
enters  the  tower  through  two  openings  in  the  walls  of  tin1  lower  square 
portion,  one  of  which  is  at  the1  bottom  on  the  north  side  while  the 
other  is  3  feet  above  the  base  on  the  west  side,  each  being  2^  feet 
wide  and  3  feet  high.  These  openings  are  covered  by  both  inside  and 
outside  gates.  The  first  inside  gates  were  of  oak.  3  inches  thick,  with 
iron  straps  bolted  to  them,  but  these  leaked  and  after  being  used  two 
years  they  were  replaced  by  2-inch  cast-iron  gates  backed  by  2^-inch 
oak.     The  outside  gates  were  one-half  inch  thick  and  worked  in  brass 


58 

grooves  in  a  frame  placed  againsl  the  brick  wall,  and  were  strength- 
ened by  2-inch  oak  bolted  to  the  iron.  After  being  used  two  years 
one  of  these  gates  was  crushed  in  with  a  head  of  4<>  feet  of  water  on 
it.  The  total  pressure  on  the  whole  area  of  the  gate  was  L8,047 
pounds.  The  inside  gate  held,  however,  and  no  water  was  wasted 
from  the  reservoir.  These  gates  were  replaced  by  t-inch  east-iron 
gates  having  wrought-iron  ribs  bolted  to  the  back  of  them,  and  these 
have  eriven  no  trouble.     The  gate  stems  are  2-inch  steed  rods  braced  at 


END   ELEVATION 


GJT£    STEM 


ELFVATlON 


Fig.  7.— Design  of  lifting  apparatus  used  at  Lake  Loveland  and  Mariano  reservoirs. 

three  points  by  iron  collars  fastened  to  the  brick  wall  to  prevent  them 
from  buckling  when  under  thrust. 

The  lifting  apparatus  is  of  necessity  very  powerful  (tig.  7).  The 
upper  end  of  the  gate  stem  is  threaded  and  passes  through  a  pinion 
which  acts  as  a  nut  rotating  horizontally,  but  having  no  vertical  motion. 
The  pinion  gears  with  an  endless  screw  or  worm  at  right  angles  to  it 
and  on  the  same  shaft  with  a  large  handwheel  which  is  turned  by  the 
operator.  The  wheel  is  3  feet  in  diameter,  the  worm  6  inches,  and 
the  pinion  8  inches.     The  pitch  of  the  threads  on  the  worm  and  of  the 


teeth  of  the  pinion  is  1  inch.  Eiach  gate  has  its  own  lifting  device,  two 
being  inside  the  tower  and  two  outside.  When  those  outside  were 
first  used  ii  was  found  necessary  to  brace  the  platform  on  which  the 
apparatus  rested,  as  the  pressure  on  it   in  raising  the  gates  was  about 

to  pull  it  down. 

The  basin  of  Lake  Loveland  is  exceptionally  fine,  being  In  general 
round  and  shaped  like  a  bowl.  When  the  reservoir  is  full  the  water 
is  40  feet  deep  over  the  outlet,  and  is  :;  feet  below  the  top  of  the 
embankment.  The  area  of  the  water  surface  at  this  height  is  L92 
acres.  The  reservoir  has  been  surveyed  and  its  capacity  determined 
for  each  foot  contour.  The  following  table  gives  the  capacity  in  cubic 
feet  and  acre-feet  for  each  5  feet  in  depth  above  the  outlet: 

Capacity  >>(  Zxike  Loveland  tit  various  contours. 


Feet. 

• 

Cubic  feet. 

Acre-feet. 

Feet. 

Cubic  feet. 

•_>  17.  7 _".'.. -.7  1 
323,672,81 1 
109,  185,640 
675,596,640 

Acre    fret. 

18,406,762 

423 
1,479 

•_'.7:;o 
4,137 

■^ 

:;n 



40 

10.... 

If).... 
•jo..  .. 

64,420,169 
....      118,925,440 
...J     180,215,950 

7.  130 
9,393 
13,212 

There   is  in  addition  to  this  ^4 ,642,5 560  cubic  feet  or  566  acre-feet, 

which  is  below  the  outlet  and  can  not  be  drawn  off. 

The  dam  of  Lake  Loveland  was  comparatively  inexpensive,  the 
elaborate  outlet  works  with  the  long  tunnel  making  the  greater  part 

of  tin1  cost  of  construction,  which  was  $125,000.  The  cost  per  acre- 
foot  of  the  capacity  of  the  reservoir  is  $9.46.  One  80-acre  water  right 
entitles  its  holder  to  one  three-hundredth  of  the  water  in  the  reservoir, 
or  45.91  acre-feet  when  the  reservoir  is  full.  The  annual  assessment 
on  each  right  for  maintenance  is  Sin.  The  company  spared  no 
expense  in  making  the  outlet  works  substantial  and  in  keeping  the 
reservoir  in  good  condition,  giving  it  the  finished  appearance  of  a 
public  rather  than  a  private  work.  The  superintendent  of  the  reser- 
voir lives  m  a  cottage  on  the  premises,  his  services  being  required 
during  the  entire  year. 

Lake  Loveland  is  tilled  from  the  Big  Thompson  River.  The  Barnes 
Ditch,  its  inlet,  heads  in  the  river  about  8  miles  west  of  the  reservoir 
and  runs  along  the  south  side  of  it  over  the  outlet.  Water  is  turned 
into  the  reservoir  through  a  flume  which  extends  over  the  bank  for  a 
distance  of  over  100  feet  to  prevent  the  water  from  cutting  away  the 
bank.  The  inlet  gate  is  at  the  upper  end  of  this  flume  and  is  near  the 
west  end  of  the  dam.  The  Barnes  Ditch  has  a  capacity  of  450  cubic 
feet  per  second,  but  the  greatest  amount  that  is  ever  run  through  it  is 
less  than  this,  the  owners  thinking  it  prudent  not  to  test  the  ditch  to 
its  full  capacity  until  the  banks  have  become  finally  settled.  The 
ditch  runs  around  a  steep  bluff,  at  which  point  it   broke  several  years 


60 

ago,  costing"  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Company,  which  then  owned 
it,  $2,00Q  for  repairs,  as  well  as  the  loss  of  water  for  storage.  The 
reservoir  has  no  decree  from  the  court  for  filling,  but  in  years  of  an 
ordinary  water  supply  it  has  been  filled.  In  1899  and  L900  it  was 
filled  to  its  utmost  capacity,  in  L901  to  a  depth  of  36  feet,  and  in  1902 
to  a  depth  of  only  L3  feet,  In  the  fall  of  r.»<>^  twenty  irrigators  under 
the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal  commenced  work  on  the  Eureka  Ditch 
which  will  bring  water  from  the  Grand  River  drainage  over  the  divide 
to  the  Big  Thompson  at  a  place1  known  as  Flat  Top.  One  mile  of 
ditch  6  feet  wide  has  been  completed,  and  work  will  he  continued  in 
the  coming  summer.  They  expect  to  store  the  water  obtained  in 
Lake  Loveland  or  in  the  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir.  Previous  to  L901 
only  135  rights  in  the  reservoir  were  sold,  but  with  the  advent  of  the 
sugar  beet  in  that  year  40  rights  were  sold  at  S7:»<>  each.  In  1  i»» >2 
more  were  sold  at  the  same  price,  20  going  to  irrigators  under  the 
Louden  Canal  to  be  used  by  exchange.  The  Louden  Canal  and  the 
land  under  it  are  above  Lake  Loveland,  but  tin1  water  is  taken  from 
the  reservoir  into  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal  and  an  equal 
amount  diverted  from  the  river  into  the  Louden  Canal.  Such  an 
exchange  is  always  possible,  for  the  former  is  entitled  to  78.02  cubic 
feet  per  second  from  the  river  before  the  latter  is  entitled  to  anything. 
A  similar  exchange  is  made  with  irrigators  under  the  Barnes  Ditch, 
who  own  a  few  rights.  All  the  other  rights  were  sold  to  irrigators 
under  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal,  the  water  being  run  into  the 
canal  about  li  miles  below  its  head,  so  that  it  is  possible  for  the  reser- 
voir to  supply  water  to  practically  all  the  users  under  the  canal. 

The  water  is  distributed  from  the  reservoir  by  making  runs  when 
they  are  called  for  by  a  majority  of  the  users.  The  main  crop  under 
the  lower  end  of  the  canal  being  vegetables,  which  require  late  irriga- 
tion, and  that  under  the  upper  end  being  largely  cereals,  which  require 
early  irrigation,  some  conflicts  regarding  the  time  of  the  runs  have 
arisen,  but  in  the  two  past  seasons  sugar  beets  have  taken  the  place  of 
wheat  to  a  great  extent  in  the  upper  district,  and  this  will  probably 
have  a  tendency  to  lessen  the  difficulties. 

In  1901  runs  were  made  from  the  reservoir  as  follows: 

Water  used  from   Lake  Loveland  in  1901. 

Acre-feet. 

July  21  to  26,  inclusive 2, 107 

August  2  to  6,  inclusive 1,  810 

August  14  to  18,  inclusive 1,  589 

August  26  to  31,  inclusive 1,  930 

September  6  to  12,  inclusive 1,814 

Total 9,  250 

Water  remained  in  the  reservoir  at  the  end  of  the  season  to  a  depth 
of  9.5  feet. 


61 


In  L902  tin 


run>  were  m 


follows: 


WaU 


sed  from   hake   Lovelmui 


inn. 


To  Louden  Canal,  by  exchange,  July  28  to  26.. 
To  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal,  Aug.  2  to  r>. . . 
To  Louden  Canal,  by  exchange,  A.ug.  9  and  10 
To  Loveland  and  Greelev  Canal,  A.ug.  L3  to  20. 
To  Barnes  Ditch,  by  exchange,  A.ug.  21  to 
To  Louden  ('anal,  by  exchange,  Aug.  28  to 80. 


Total. 


Cubic  feel 
per  second. 


Acre  feet. 


12 

124.5 

1 ,  286 

24.9 

KM) 

1 ,  587 

11) 

59 

Water  was  formerly  measured  by  a  weir  in  the  outlet  ditch  of  Lake 
Loveland.  but  much  trouble  was  caused  by  the  ditch  back  of  it  becom- 
ing tilled  up  with  mud  and  gravel.  The  grade  of  the  ditch  is  high  at 
this  point,  and  doubtless  the  velocity  of  approach  of  the  current  w#s 
too  great,  while  if  the  conditions  for  accurate  measurement  had  been 
considered  in  placing  the  weir  no  trouble  of  this  kind  would  have 
occurred.  It  has  been  replaced  by  a  measuring  flume,  which  has  been 
found  to  be  more  practicable.  Water  run  for  the  Chubbuck  rights  is 
measured  by  the  miner's-inch  method,  but  under  the  rest  of  the  Love- 
land and  Greeley  ('anal  weirs  are  used  in  the  laterals. 

The  decreed  priorities  of  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  (  anal  are  among 
the  oldest  from  the  Big  Thompson  River,and  at  one  time  the  company 
attempted  to  store  water  from  the  canal  rights.  The  priority  of  the 
canal  of  the  Home  Supply  Company  is  very  late,  but  its  reservoirs 
both  have  rights  established  by  decrees,  and  Lake  Loveland  having 
none,  they  should  always  be  tilled  tirst.  So  the  Home  Supply  Com- 
pany, fearing  that  the  supply  would  not  be  sufficient  to  till  its  reser- 
voirs later,  and  considering  the  practice  an  infringement  upon  its 
rights,  succeeded  in  getting  an  injunction  stopping  this  manner  of 
tilling  Lake  Loveland.  A  final  decision  was  rendered  by  the  supreme 
court  of  the  State  prohibiting  the  use  of  the  water  decreed  to  the 
Loveland  and  Greelev  Canal  for  storage  purposes.  A  similar  difficulty 
occurred  recently  between  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Company  and  the 
Seven  Lakes  Reservoir  Company,  in  which  the  former  was  in  the  same 
position  as  the  Home  Supply  Company  in  the  first  case.  The  details 
and  results  of  the  later  case  are  discussed  more  fully  in  connection 
with  the  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir. 

Another  question  settled  by  the  court  was  in  regard  to  running 
water  through  Lake  Loveland  for  fish.  The  Home  Supply  Company 
objected,  claiming  that  more  water  was  run  into  the  reservoir  than 
was  let  out  of  it.  The  court  permitted  this  use  of  the  water,  but 
ordered  the  water  commissioner  to  keep  measurements  of  the  flow  in 
both  the  inlet  and  outlet  ditches  in  order  that  the  equality  might  be 
maintained.     This  officer,  intending  to  carry  out  the  order  in  spirit 


62 

rather  than  in  detail,  simply  maintained  a  constant  depth  of  water  in 
the  reservoir,  by  which  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Company  gained  an 
amount  for  storage  equal  to  the  loss  from  seepage  and  evaporation 
during  the  time  that  water  was  run  through  it. 

CONSOLIDATED    HOME    SUPPLY   DITCH   AND    RESERVOIR   COM- 
PANY'S  SYSTEM. 

The  Consolidated  Home  Supply  Company  owns  the  Lone  Tree  and 
Mariano  reservoirs,  the  Home  Supply  (anal,  and  the  Home  Supply 
Reservoir  Ditch.  The  members  of  the  company  arc  farmers,  using 
the  water  under  the  canal.  The  system  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Water 
Supply  and  Storage  Company  in  many  respects.  The  reservoirs  are 
used  to  reenforce  the  canal  during  the  whole  season,  becoming  almost 
the  sole  dependence  in  the  latter  part,  and  the  water  rights  pertain  to 
both  reservoirs  and  canal.  There  are  2,001  shares  of  stock  in  the  Con- 
solidated Home  Supply  Company.  15  representing  a  160-acre  water 
right.  The  priority  number  of  its  canal  is  53,  and  it  is  one  of  the 
latest  in  the  district,  but  its  reservoirs  have  made  the  system  one  of 
the  most  successful  in  the  State.  The  Mariano  Reservoir  was  con- 
structed in  1881  and  the  Lone  Tree  Reservoir  was  constructed  in  1888. 
Both  are  below  the  company's  canal,  the  former  being  just  outside  the 
foothills  between  the  canal  and  the  Big  Thompson,  while  the  latter 
is  on  the  south  side  of  the  canal  at  a  point  several  miles  farther  down 
its  course. 

LONE    TREE    RESERVOIR. 

The  Lone  Tree  Reservoir  is  the  largest  and  most  important  of  the 
two.  and  shows  well  what  can  be  done  at  a  very  small  cost  in  utilizing 
a  natural  lake  for  storage.  The  reservoir  basin  is  entirely  a  natural 
depression,  and  contained  water  before  it  was  used  as  a  reservoir. 
The  Home  Supply  Canal  runs  along  the  north  end  of  the  reservoir 
and  across  the  till  over  the  outlet.  It  was  necessary  to  make  an  open 
cut  above  the  outlet  20  feet  deep  and  several  hundred  feet  in  length. 
The  outlet  consists  of  a  stone-arched  conduit,  150  feet  in  length 
and  3  feet  wide  by  5  feet  high.  Cement  collars  were  placed  around 
this  at  intervals,  and  at  both  ends  masonry  walls  3  feet  thick  were 
constructed  across  the  cut.  but  no  wing  walls  arc  attached.  The 
tops  of  these  walls  are  at  the  surface  of  the  ground,  the  earth  being 
rilled  in  between  them  to  its  original  height. 

The  two  gates  are  of  wood  and  cover  the  upper  end  of  the  conduit. 
They  slide  in  a  frame  made  of  1'2  by  12  inch  timbers  placed  against 
the  upper  wall.  The  gate  stems  are  4  by  4  inch  timbers,  terminating 
in  li-inch  iron  rods  at  the  top.  These  rods  work  in  iron  nuts,  which 
are  turned  by  a  spanner  having  a  handle  about  3  feet  in  length. 
While  the  reservoir  is  one  of  the  largest  in  the  valley,  only  16.5  feet 


63 

of  water  is  draw;',  from  it.  and  so  the  pressure  on  tin-  gates  is  not  too 
great  for  this  form  of  Lifting  apparatus. 

The  reservoir  covers  600  acres,  and  has  a  capacity  of  3  2,040,000 
cubic  feet,,  or  9,002  acre-feet,  although  the  present  outlet  is  not  low 
enough  for  all  of  this  to  be  drawn  off.  It  is  filled  from  the  Big 
Thompson  River  by  the  Home  Supply  Canal,  the  water  being  turned 
directly  into  the  reservoir  through  the  inlet  at  the  north  end.  The 
reservoir  was  given  a  decree,  under  date  of  August  31,  L881,  for 
4oo.iiiio.iHui  cubic  feet,  and  in  the  official  record  of  this  the  name  gh  en 
is  the  Farwell  Reservoir,  although  it  is  now  known  altogether  by  the 
name  under  which  it  is  described. 

The  capacity  of  the  reservoir  can  he  increased  in  two  ways,  and  the 
company  is  at  present  considering  these  with  a  view  to  adopting  the 
best  plan.  One  plan  is  to  construct  a  6-foot  embankment  along  the  south 
side,  raising  the  height  to  which  water  can  he  stored,  and  the  other  is 
to  drain  the  basin  lower.  The  decree  entitle-  the  company  to  store 
water  in  the  reservoir  to  a  certain  height  above  the  lowest  portion  of 
the  basin,  hut  the  present  outlet  drains  only  one-half  of  this  depth  of 
water.  It  is  required  that  l£  feet  of  water  he  left  in  the  basin  for  the 
protection  of  fish,  and  the  outlet  could  be  17  feet  lower  and  still  leave 
this  amount.  The  volume  gained  by  the  additional  6  feet  on  top 
would  increase  the  capacity  more  than  the  additional  17  feet  on  the 
bottom  on  account  of  the  great  difference  in  areas,  and  the  company 
realizes  that  the  former  device  would  be  the  cheapest  in  the  end:  but 
there  are  other  things  to  be  considered.  If  the  service  of  the  reservoir 
is  increased  by  draining  lower,  it  may  be  tilled  entirely  each  year  on 
its  present  decree,  which  practically  insures  its  being  full  in  seasons 
of  an  ordinary  supply;  but  the  additional  amount  at  the  top  could  not 
be  stored  until  nearly  all  the  other  reservoirs  were  tilled,  as  it  would 
be  a  later  appropriation.  The  available  amount  for  storage  from  the 
Big  Thompson  being  about  all  appropriated,  this  could  not  be  depended 
on.  and  for  this  reason  the  plan  of  draining  lower  is  favored.  While 
this  action  may  be  entirely  legal,  the  company  would  acquire  the  use 
of  water  which  has  previously  boon  used  beneficially  by  someone  else. 

The  company's  engineer  made  surveys  in  the  fall  of  L902  relative  to 
the  enlargement  of  the  reservoir,  and  the  plan  recommended  by  him 
for  draining  the  present  unavailable  water  was  to  construct  a  new  out- 
let of  iron  or  sewer  pipe  17  feet  lower,  tunneled  directly  under  the 
present  one.  which  would  be  retained.  Tin4  now  outlet  would  have  a 
comparatively  small  capacity,  and  need  be  used  only  when  the  water 
surface  fell  below  the  upper  one.  It  would  be  necessary  to  extend 
this  pipe  for  a  distance  of  1,000  feet  or  more  above4  the  present  outlet 
gates,  and  probably  an  open  cut  above  this  would  be  necessary.  The 
pipe  would  also  have  to  extend  some  distance  below  the  present  gate- 
before  meeting  the  grade  of  the  outlet  ditch.     The  regulating  gate 


64 

was  to  be  at  the  upper  end  of  the  pipe,  and  to  be  operated  from  a  plat- 
form or  tower  to  be  reached  by  a  boat.  This  plan  was  estimated  to 
he  cheaper  than  the  reconstruction  of  the  present  outlet  in  a  deeper 
(ait.  but  the  latter  plan  would  probably  be  the  more  satisfactory  when 
completed,  and  eventually  cheaper. 

The  company  paid  $500  for  the  site  of  Lone  Tree  Reservoir,  and  the 
cost  of  making  the  cut  and  building  th<-  outlet  works  was  $10, 
making  the  cost  per  acre-foot  *1.67.  A  very  expensive  till  was  made 
in  L901  to  carry  the  Home  Supply  (anal  along  part  of  the  edge  of  tin1 
reservoir  in  place  of  through  a  Hume  which  had  become  unsafe,  but 
the  cost  of  this  is  not  included  in  that  of  the  reservoir. 

MARIANO    RESERVOIR. 

The  Mariano  Reservoir  received  its  name  from  a  Mexican  named 
Mariano,  who  at  one  time  constructed  a  ditch  from  the  Bio-  Thompson 
River.     The  reservoir  is  also  known  as  Bodecker  Lake. 

The  embankment  of  the  reservoir  is  almost  on  a  section  line  and  the 
public  road  is  on  top  of  it.  It  is  600  feet  long.  2±  feet  high,  and  15 
feet  wide  on  top.  and  has  an  inside  slope  of  2i  to  1  and  an  outside  slope 
of  2  to  1.  This  embankment  is  on  the  east  side,  where  it  is  subject 
to  severe  wave  action,  and  therefore  it  has  been  well  riprapped.  It 
was  also  given  a  height  of  7  feet  above  the  high-water  mark. 

The  outlet  was  made  through  the  embankment,  and  consists  of  an 
arched  stone  conduit  having  cement  collars  at  intervals  to  prevent 
water  following  along  the  outside.  The  conduit  is  2  feet  wide  and  3 
feet  high,  and  the  lower  end  projects  into  a  wall  2  feet  thick.  The 
gates  cover  the  upper  end  of  the  conduit  and  operate  in  a  well  or 
tower  inside  the  reservoir.  The  lower  9  feet  of  this  structure  is  a 
masonry  well  3  by  16  feet  inside,  while  the  upper  9  feet  is  a  structure 
built  of  12  by  12  inch  timbers.  The  wall  of  the  well  next  the  embank- 
ment is  uniformly  2  feet  thick,  while  the  others  have  a  batter  on  the 
outside.  The  end  walls  are  2  feet  thick  at  the  top.  and  the  upper  one 
is  4  feet  thick.  The  water  enters  the  well  through  openings  in  this 
upper  or  outside  wall,  the  earth  of  the  embankment  partly  surround- 
ing the  others.  The  lifting  apparatus  for  the  gates  is  on  top  of  the 
tower  and  is  reached  by  a  plank  walk  from  the  embankment. 

The  gates  are  of  wood,  and  their  stems  are  2-inch  iron  pipes.  The 
mechanism  for  lifting  one  gate  consists  of  a  worm  turning  horizontally 
and  gearing  with  a  rack  fastened  rigidly  to  the  top  of  the  iron  pipe. 
The  rack  is  held  in  its  place  so  that  its  teeth  mesh  with  the  threads  of 
the  worm  by  a  roller  at  its  back,  and  a  wrench  fitted  to  the  end  of  the 
shaft  carrying  the  worm  further  increases  the  power.  The  worm  is  4 
inches  in  diameter,  and  the  rack  must  necessarily  be  as  long  as  the  lift 
of  the  gate.  Lifting  devices  of  this  form  were  originally  used  for 
both  gate-,  but  one  was   broken  and  it  was  replaced  by  an  apparatus 


65 

smaller  hut  similar  m  form  to  those  used  at  Lake  Loveland  (fig,  7. 
p.  58).  In  place  of  the  rack  there  is  a  steel  rod  at  the  top  fitted  inside 
the  pipe  and  bolted  thereto.     This  rod,  being  threaded,  works  in  a 

brass  nut  which  is  the  center  of  a  pinion  gearing  with  a  worm  at  right 
angles  to  it.  The  power  applied  to  a  large  hand  wheel  turns  the 
worm,  the  two  haying  a  common  shaft. 

The  reservoir  is  373  acres  in  area,  and  i-  L6-)  feet  deep  over  the  out- 
let, [ts  capacity  is  4,140  acre-feet  The  reservoir  could  be  enlarged 
incapacity  30  per  cent  by  raising  and  lengthening  the  dam.  The 
decreed  priority  of  the  reservoir  is  the  second  on  the  stream,  dating 
from  October  1,  1875,  and  the  amount  decreed  is  for  L80, 865,000 cubic 
feet.  The  preceding  priority  is  for  a  small  amount,  so  that  the  chances 
of  the  reservoir  being  tilled  are  very  good. 

The  company  paid  $6,000  for  the  site  of  the  Mariano  Reservoir  and 
the  perpetual  right  to  till  it  through  the  Rist  Ditch,  which  it  agree-  to 
enlarge  and  maintain.  The  reservoir  could  be  conveniently  tilled 
through  any  of  the  three  other  ditches  which  pass  around  a  point  of 
the  foothills  at  the  west  end  of  the  reservoir.  The  highest  of  these, 
the  Handy  Ditch,  is  within  a  half  mile  of  the  reservoir,  and  the  Home 
Supply  Canal  and  the  South  Side  Ditch  are  successively  below  it.  The 
Rist  Ditch  has  a  capacity  of  only  60  cubic  feet  per  second,  hut  it  runs 
just  around  the  reservoir  below  the  other  three,  and  the  water  has  to 
he  carried  only  about  3  miles  from  the  river,  while  if  the  company's 
canal  were  used  it  would  be  carried  a  much  greater  distance. 

The  dam  of  the  reservoir  cost  originally  $4,000,  and  it  was  rip- 
rapped  later  at  a  cost  of  $500,  thus  making  the  total  cost  of  the  reser- 
voir $10,500,  which  does  not  include  the  cost  of  enlarging  the  inlet. 
The  cost  per  acre-foot  stored  is  $2.54. 

HOME    sri'PLY     DAM. 

The  Home  Supply  Dam  is  located  at  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  of  the 
Big  Thompson  River,  and  its  purpose  is  to  divert  the  waters  of  the 
stream  into  the  head  of  the  Home  Supply  Canal.  The  amount  of 
water  impounded  by  the  dam  is  of  no  consequence,  as  the  canyon 
above  it  is  very  narrow  and  the  fall  of  the  stream  great.  While  the 
dam  was  not  intended  for  storage  purposes,  it  is  of  a  type  well  adapted 
to  mountain  streams  for  either  storage  or  diversion  purposes,  and  it  is 
therefore  described  in  this  connection. 

The  Home  Supply  Canal  was  designed  to  irrigate  the  greater  part 
of  the  valuable  land  between  the  Big  and  Little  Thompson  rivers,  and 
runs  near  the  highest  portion  of  the  slight  ridge  between  these  two 
streams,  irrigating  land  both  north  and  south  of  it.  After  leaving 
the  river  it  runs  south  some  distance  through  the  narrow  tract  of  tlat 
land  between  the  mountains  and  foothills,  until  it  drops  15  feet  or 
more  into  Cottonwood  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Big  Thompson  River, 

688— No.  134—03 5 


66 

and  this  natural  channel  is  used  in  passing  through  the  range  of  foot- 
hills. The  dam  raised  the  water  to  the  head  of  the  canal,  over  40  feet 
above  the  channel  of  the  river,  and  it  might  seem  that  this  was  unnec- 
essary, since  a  drop  is  allowed  at  a  lower  point;  but  it  was  desirable 
in  order  that  the  canal  might  pass  behind  the  range  of  foothills  instead 
of  along  their  eastern  slope,  where  a  great  deal  of  expensive  work 


CROSS    SECTION 


Fig.  8.— Design  of  Home  Supply  Dam. 

would  have  to  be  done  in  fluming,  tunneling,  and  maintaining  the 
canal.  It  was  desirable  also  to  construct  such  a  dam  instead  of  con- 
tinuing the  canal  farther  up  the  stream  until  it  should  meet  the  chan- 
nel, because  the  sides  of  the  canyon  are  nearly  perpendicular  and  of 
solid  rock,  and  the  construction  and  maintenance  of  a  canal  would  be 
difficult. 

Two  dams  have  been  constructed,  the  first  having  been  destroyed. 


67 

The  first  (lam  was  of  the  same  type  as  the  present  one,  but  it  was  n<>{ 
of  solid  masonry  and  did  not  extend  to  a  foundation  of  bed  rock.  It 
was  formed  by  two  walls  of  masonry  with  a  filling  of  concrete  between 

them,  hut  the  main  cause  of  the  disaster  was  the  inadequate  founda- 
tion rather  than  the  material  used  in  the  construction.  'Idle  new  dam 
was  constructed  of  solid  masonry  founded  on  bed  rock  1">  feet  or  more 
below  the  natural  channel  of  the  stream  and  butting  against  solid  rock 
on  both  sides  of   the  canyon  (fig,  8).      The  dam  is  60  feet   long  on  to}). 

and  the  radius  of  curvature  horizontally  is  45  feet.  The  upper 
face  of  the  dam  is  perpendicular,  hut  the  lower  face  has  a  vertical 
curvature  with  a  radius  o\'  L02  feet,  which  increases  the  thickness  of 

the  dam  from  »J  feet  at  the  top  to  *2(>  feet  at  the  base.  A  sluiceway  L5 
inches  in  diameter  was  made  at  the  natural  surface  of  the  stream  42 
feet  below  the  top  of  the  dam.  The  dam  is  about  L5  feet  thick  at  this 
point.  The  sluice  gate  is  on  the  upper  side  and  is  controlled  from  the 
top  of  the  dam.  It  is  used  mainly  to  lower  the  water  surface  t<>  break 
ice  which  might  endanger  the  masonry  rather  than  for  scouring. 

The  dam  raises  the  water  level  oyer  40  feet,  so  that  it  will  enter  the 
head  gate  of  the  canal,  which  is  on  solid  rock  at  the  south  end  of  the 
dam  instead  of  in  the  dam  itself.  The  water  is  carried  for  several 
hundred  feet  around  the  rock  at  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  in  a  flume. 
The  waste  way  is  at  the  north  end  of  the  dam  and  consists  of  a  low 
masonry  wall  6  feet  wide  built  on  the  solid  rock.  It  is  8  feet  below 
the  top  of  the  dam  and  30  feet  wide  and  carries  the  ordinary  surplus 
flow,  but  at  times  water  runs  over  the  entire  top  of  the  dam.  When 
dams  of  this  type  are  constructed  for  storage  purposes  the  waste  ways 
are  usually  made  large  enough  to  carry  the  greatest  surplus  flow,  so 
that  in  times  of  floods  the  dam  will  not  be  subject  to  a  shock  in  addi- 
tion to  the  pressure  of  the  water  against  it. 

It  is  well  recognized  that  dams  of  this  type  do  not  act  exactly  as  do 
bridge  arches  in  sustaining  a  vertical  pressure.  The  pressure  of  the 
water  is  perpendicular  to  the  face  of  the  dam  at  any  point,  but  the 
transmission  of  this  pressure  as  a  thrust  on  the  banks  at  the  ends  of 
the  dam  is  in  some  measure  obstructed  by  the  weight  of  the  dam  itself 
on  its  foundation.  It  is  quite  probable,  however,  that  the  dam  was 
designed  so  that  it  would  withstand  a  certain  steady  pressure  if  it 
were  straight,  and  that  the  arch  is  an  additional  precautionary  meas- 
ure.    The  dam  contains  1,400  cubic  yards  of  masonry. 

OPERATION    OF   THE    SYSTEM. 

The  system  of  distribution  of  the  Consolidated  Home  Supply  Com- 
pany is  one  that  has  given  universal  satisfaction,  a  condition  which 
exists  for  two  reasons — the  unusual  liberty  allowed  the  irrigator  and 
the  abundant  supply  of  water  furnished — for  difficulties  always  arise 
as  soon  as  water  becomes  short  whether  there  is  any  unfairness  or  not. 


68 

The  system  of  distribution  Luis  "been  compared  to  ;i  banking  system. 
Before  turning  any  water  out  of  the  reservoirs  the  available  amount 
stored  is  conservatively  estimated  by  the  company's  superintendent, 
and  each  shareholder  is  credited  in  that  officer's  water  book  with  an 
amount  proportional  to  the  stock  he  owns.  He  may  draw  this  amount 
as  he  chooses,  either  all  at  once  or  in  parts,  upon  application  to  the 
superintendent,  provided  only  that  the  total  amount  applied  for  by  all 
the  stockholders  shall  not  at  any  time  fall  below  20  cubic  feet  per 
second.  Each  man's  share  is  measured  to  him  over  a  Cippoletti  weir 
in  his  lateral  and  an  account  of  it  kept  by  the  company,  in  order  that 
it  may  not  exceed  the  amount  due  him.  If  the  first  estimate  of  the 
amount  in  the  reservoirs  is  found  to  be  too  small,  the  superintendent 
always  being  careful  not  to  make  it  too  high,  another  is  made  and  a 
new  account  opened  with  each  irrigator.  If  at  any  time  the  reservoirs 
are  full  and  water  would  otherwise  have  to  be  turned  down  the  river, 
the  head  gates  are  kept  open  and  the  water  is  run  to  the  stockholders 
without  charge  and  no  account  is  kept  of  the  amount.  But  if  there  is 
any  room  for  storage  in  the  reservoirs  a  charge  is  made  for  the  water 
run  to  the  stockholders  directly  from  the  river  through  the  canal. 
Water  is  never  run  to  any  stockholder  who  may  be  in  arrears  with  his 
assessment.  A  great  variety  of  crops  is  raised  under  the  s}Tstem,  and 
.the  result  is  that  water  is  run  from  the  reservoirs  during  most  of  the 
season.  Water  is  run  at  the  rate  of  1  cubic  foot  per  second  to  each  15 
shares.  In  1901  water  was  first  turned  out  of  the  reservoir  June 
1,  and  it  was,  run  continuously  for  thirty-five  days.  The  gates  were 
opened  again  for  ten  days  in  July  and  August,  and  all  the  remaining 
water  was  run  out  in  September.  Both  reservoirs  were  full  that  year, 
but  in  1902  only  10  feet  was  drawn  from  Lone  Tree  Reservoir  and  12 
feet  from  Mariano  Reservoir,  each  being  considered  only  one-half 
full.  In  one  dry  year  the  head  gate  of  the  Home  Supply  Canal  was 
never  raised,  the  reservoirs  being  depended  upon  entirely  to  mature 
the  crops,  and  the  results  were  good. 

The  water  stored  in  the  Mariano  Reservoir  is  exchanged  with  some 
of  the  ditches  on  the  lower  part  of  the  Big  Thompson  River,  the  rights 
of  which  are  earlier  than  those  of  the  company's  canal,  an  amount 
equal  to  that  run  into  the  river  for  them  being  diverted  at  the  head  of 
the  canal.  The  outlet  ditch  of  the  reservoir  is  about  2  miles  long  and 
joins  the  river  above  the  head  gates  of  the  Loveland  and  Greeley, 
Farmers'  Irrigating,  and  Hillsborough  canals  and  several  small  ditches. 
Lone  Tree  Reservoir  is  so  little  below  the  Home  Supphr  Canal  that, 
instead  of  exchanging  the  water  stored,  it  is  used  directly  from  the 
outlet  ditch,  which  is  known  as  the  Home  Supply  Reservoir  Ditch. 
It  runs  almost  parallel  with  the  main  canal,  and  the  small  amount  of 
land  above  it,  together  with  that  west  of  the  reservoir,  can  be  supplied 
from  the  canal  reenforced  bv  the  Mariano  Reservoir.    Another  reason 


69 

for  not  exchanging  is  that  if  the  water  had  to  be  used  iii  that  manner 
the  amount  run  might  be  limited  by  the  amount  of  water  in  th<-  river 
which  the  lower  ditches  have  t<»  exchange. 

The  reservoirs  together  hold  L3,142  acre-feet,  and  their  cost  was 
$25,500,  which  is  only  $1.94  per  acre-foot  The  total  assessment  for 
maintenance  of  the  entire  system  in  L90J  was  $4,000,  and  one-half  of 
this  can  be  considered  the  expense  for  the  canal.  Three  times  as  much 
land  is  irrigated  as  could  be  with  the  canal  alone.  Land  is  worth  two- 
fifths  more  with  reservoir  rights  than  without,  the  value  under  the 
company's  system  being  from  $40  to  $160  per  acre.  In  L901  the  price 
paid  for  one  share  was  $90,  but  in  L902,  on  account  of  the  increasing 
demand  for  water  for  the  irrigation  of  sugar  beets,  it  advanced  to  $125 
and  $150.  The  price  paid  for  one  share  in  1  *. ♦* >* >  was  $255,  which  is 
equivalent  to  &l.t>12..")U  for  an  80-acre  water  right.  Shares  are  some- 
times rented  to  individuals  who  are  not  members  of  the  company.  In 
1901  the  price  paid  was  $12.50  per  share,  but  in  1902  as  much  as  $20 
per  share  was  paid  in  the  late  season  for  the  irrigation  of  sugar  beets 
and  potatoes.  Since  one  share  represents  •'».."»•'»  acre-feet  in  the  reser- 
voirs, this  is  practically  at  the  rate  of  ^:'..o;,  p»T  acre-foot,  for  the 
water  furnished  by  the  canal  was  so  small  that  it  can  be  omitted  in 
the  calculation. 

SEVEN  LAKES  RESERVOIR. 

The  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir  was  completed  in  the  winter  of  L900,and 
consists  of  six  lakes  connected  and  operated  as  one  system.  It>  owner, 
the  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir  Company,  originally  intended  to  acquire 
Big  Thompson  Reservoir,  or  Cemetery  Lake,  which  was  to  he  included 
in  the  system  as  No.  5,  but  no  agreement  with  the  owners  was  reached, 
and  it  is  not  probable  that  it  will  ever  be  connected.  No.  1  of  tin1  sys- 
tem was  formerly  the  Louden  Reservoir,  and  is  also  known  as  Donath 
Lake.  It  was  purchased  by  the  company  and  joined  with  the  remainder 
of  the  system.  It  lies  just  below  the  Louden  Lateral,  the  large  Lateral 
from  the  Louden  Canal  running  east  and  irrigating  lands  on  the  Big 
Thompson  slope,  and  its  outlet  ditch  flows  into  No.  2,  which  is  one 
mile  south  of  it.  Nos.  3,  4,  6,  and  7  are  ju>t  south  of  No.  2,  and  all 
are  drained  through  the  outlet  ditch  of  No.  7  into  the  Loveland  and 
Greeley  Canal  just  below  it.  No.  L  has  its  own  outlet  works,  but  all  the 
others  are  practically  one  basin,  since  they  are  simply  connected  In- 
open  cuts;  and,  having  a  common  outlet  at  No.  7.  the  water  stands  at 
the  same  level  in  all.  No.  2  is  the  largest  in  the  system  and  the  only 
one  where  an  embankment  was  required. 

The  outlet  of  No.  l,or  Louden  Reservoir,  was  made  through  natural 
rock,  and  above  the  gate  well  consists  of  L50  feet  n(  -ewer  pipe  2  feet 
in  diameter,  while  below  the  gate  well  it  consists  i>{  X  feet  of  stone 
arch  2  feet  wide  and  2±  feet  high.     Retaining1  walls  of  masonry  are 


70 


placed  across  the  cut  at  both  ends  of  the  outlet,  and  the  gate  well  is  of 
masonry,  is  3  by  3  feet  inside,  and  has  walls  2  feet  in  thickness.  The 
Concrete  Inundation  under  the  well  is  1  foot  thick.  The  gate  and  its 
stem  are  oi  wood,  and  the  former  slides  in  a  frame  of  timbers  which 

extend-  to  the  top  of  the  well.      A  Simple  screw  lifts  the  gate. 

The  basin  of  No.  2  was  formed  by  constructing  an  embankment 
across  one  of  the  numerous  dry  creeks,  this  one  running  into  Boyd 
Lake  to  the  east.  This  embankment  is  r>s7  feet  long  on  the  top.  hut 
the  gulch  narrows  toward  the  bottom,  making  the  embankment  only 

50  feet  long  at  the  base.  It  is  4o  feet  high,  with  inside  and  outside 
slopes  of  ±h  to  1  and  3  to  1.  respectively.  The  site  was  plowed  and 
the  embankment  was  constructed  in  layers,  sloping  toward  the  inside, 
but  it  was  not  riprapped  in  any  way.  The  outlet  is  not  at  the  dam. 
but  at  another  side  of  the  basin  through  an  open  cut. 

The  outlet  works  at  No.  7  consist  simply  of  wooden  head  gate-  in 
the  open  ditch.  There  are  two  gates,  each  3  feet  square,  placed  at  the 
upper  end  of  a  Hume  7  feet  wide  and  0  feet  deep.  The  flume  is  22 
feet  long,  and  16  feet  below  the  gates  a  drop  of  2  feet  occurs.  The 
flume  is  built  of  2  by  12  inch  plank  and  6  by  6  inch  sills,  posts,  and 
ties,  the  frames  formed  by  the  three  latter  being  ±  feet  apart.  Sheet 
piling  was  driven  at  the  bottom  and  sides  of  the  frame  at  the  upper 
end. 

The  following  table  gives  the  areas  and  capacities  of  the  several 
basins: 

Areas  "/"/  capacities  of  Seven  Lakes  Re*em,'ir  sites. 


Basin. 

Area. 

Capacity. 

No.  1...             

Acres. 
65 

450 
80 
30 
25 

Acre-feet. 

1.14s 

Nos.  2  and  8 



o.Tiy 

No.  4 

689 

No.  6 

115 

No    7 

114 

Total 

650 

5.785 

Twenty -eight  feet  of  water  is  drawn  from  No.  1.  but  only  a  few 
feet  can  be  drawn  from  the  others,  there  being  much  unavailable  water 
in  them,  the  most  of  which  is  in  No.  2.  This  is  an  undetermined 
amount  and  is  included  in  the  figures  given  in  the  foregoing  table. 

The  price  paid  for  No.  1  with  its  outlet  ditch  was  £10.000.  The 
remainder  of  the  system,  including  the  purchase  of  800  acres  of  land, 
cost  130,000, the  dam  at  No.  2  alone  costing  *-L4o«>  Excluding  No.  1 
and  assuming  that  only  one-half  the  total  capacity  of  the  rest,  except 
No.   1.  is  available,  the  cost  per  acre-foot  for  the  system  is  *12.94. 

The  Louden  Reservoir,  or  No.  1,  has  a  priority  decree  dated  Feb- 
ruary 24.  L883,  for  50,000,000  cubic  feet,  this  right  being  the  sixth  on 
the  Big  Thompson.      When  securing  this  property  the  company  also 


71 

purchased  to  shares  in  the  Louden  (anal.     The  other  pari  of  the  ays 
tern  has  no  decree,  and  the  appropriation  being  a  late  one  the  filling 
of  the  reservoirs  is  not  assured.     It   bad  formerly  been  the  practice 

to  till    the    Louden    Reservoir  more  than  once  during   ;i   season,  and  in 

L901  an  attempt  was  made  to  till  the  remainder  of  the  system  by  means 

of  the  decree  of  the  Louden  Reservoir  and  the  shares  in  the  Louden 
Canal,  by  running  water  from  the  Latter  through  the   Louden  Reser- 

voir;  hut  the  Lov eland  and  Greeley  Company  complained,  and  an 
injunction  stopped  this  manner  of  filling.  Lake  Loveland  can  not  he 
tilled  until  after  the  Louden  Reservoir,  hut.  having  an  earlier  right 
than  the  rest  of  the  Seven  Lakes,  it  should  he  tilled  before  they  are 
allowed  any  water.  Had  Cemetery  Lake  been  joined  to  the  Seven 
Lakes  the  problem  would  have  become  still  more  complicated,  for  its 
decree  is  even  older  than  that  of  the  Louden  Reservoir  and  water 
eould  have  been  run  through  it  into  the  rest  of  the  Seven  Lakes. 

Testimony  was  taken  by  a  referee  appointed  by  the  court,  and  the 
decision  rendered  allows  the  Louden  Reservoir  to  be  tilled  to  its 
decreed  capacity  of  50,000,000  cubic  feet  only  once  each  year,  and  does 
not  allow  any  water  to  be  run  into  any  part  of  the  Seven  Lakes  Reser- 
voir on  the  rights  owned  by  the  company  in  the  Louden  (anal.  The 
Loveland  and  Greeley  Company  claimed  that  the  capacity  of  the  Lou- 
den Reservoir  was  only  25,000,000  cubic  feet,  but  this  question  was 
not  gone  into  and  the  amount  given  in  the  original  decree  was  not 
changed.  It  also  claimed  that  Lake  Loveland  had  a  storage  capacity 
of  (500,239,000  cubic  feet,  or  13,550  acre-feet,  and  that  it  should  be 
allowed  to  carry  water  through  the  Barnes  Ditch  at  the  rate  of  450 
cubic  feet  per  second  for  storing  this  amount.  The  Seven  Lakes  Com- 
pany claimed  that  the  capacity  of  the  Barnes  Ditch  was  greatly  over- 
estimated and  that  its  owner  had  never  run  so  much  through  it.  allow- 
ing water  to  pass  its  head  gate  in  the  river  and  go  to  waste  which 
otherwise  might  be  run  into  its  reservoir.  The  Loveland  and  ( rreeley 
Company  claimed  that  450  cubic  feet  per  second  had  actually  been 
run  through  the  Barnes  Ditch. 

The  Loveland  and  Greeley  Company  would  rather  have  had  the 
question  in  regard  to  the  storage  of  water  on  the  decree  of  the  canal 
deckled  against  it,  provided  the  decision  in  the  similar  case  between  it 
and  the  Home  Supply  Company  were  likewise  reversed. for  it  would 
gain  much  more  by  being  allowed  to  store  water  in  Lake  Loveland  on 
the  early  decree  of  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  (anal. 

The  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir  is  tilled  partly  by  seepage  and  in  some 
years  it  may  receive  a  supply  from  the  Big  Thompson  through  the 
Louden  Canal,  but  this  will  not  happen  until  most  of  the  other  reser- 
voirs under  the  stream  have  been  tilled  or  until  a  Hood  tills  all  the 
inlets  to  the  reservoirs  preceding  it. 

The  company  is  dependent  upon  other  companies  to  some  extent  as 


72 

regards  both  the  filling  and  distribution,  having  to  obtain  the  use  of  the 
Louden  Canal  for  the  former  and  having  to  pay  the  Loveland  and 
Greeley  Company  for  carrying  the  water  through  its  canal.  In  L901 
the  Seven  Lakes  Company  contracted  with  the  Loveland  and  Greeley 
Company  to  carry  56  cubic  feet  per  second  to  customers  under  the 
canal,  hut  on  account  of  the  small  outlet  of  the  Seven  Lakes  and  the 
small  grade  of  the  outlet  ditch  the  run  was  commenced  with  only  40 
cubic  feet  per  second  and  this  was  gradually  diminished  to  20  cubic 
feet  per  second  as  the  head  was  lowered  in  emptying  the  reservoir. 
Meanwhile  a  run  was  being*  made  from  Lake  Loveland,  and  as  only 
6  feet  can  be  drawn  from  the  Seven  Lakes,  excepting  No.  1,  the 
velocity  in  the  outlet  ditch  was  very  low.  The  deficiency  was  in  a 
measure  made  up  by  the  water  flowing  from  Lake  Loveland.  and  the 
result  was  that  the  Seven  Lakes  Company  was  paid  for  the  full 
amount,  while  a  part  of  it  actually  came  from  Lake  Loveland.  The 
Seven  Lakes  Company  has  insisted  that  the  runs  from  the  two  reser- 
voirs be  combined  for  greater  economy,  but  in  190*2  the  Loveland  and 
Greeley  Company  refused  to  comply  and  charged  the  Seven  Lakes 
Company  8500  for  delivering  the  water.  Water  was  furnished  to  55 
users  and  five  runs  were  made.  The  first  and  last  were  failures,  but 
it  is  claimed  that  the  first  was  practically  used  to  soak  the  canal,  which 
was  then  very  dry. 

LOVELAND  LAKE  RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  the  property  of  the  Loveland  Lake  and  Ditch  Com- 
pany and  was  constructed  in  1899.  The  company  is  a  small  one,  com- 
posed of  farmers  under  the  lower  end  of  the  Handy  Ditch,  and  the 
reservoir  aids  the  canal  in  irrigating  their  lands. 

The  reservoir  was  originally  a  natural  lake  containing  water  which 
came  largely  from  seepage,  and  in  developing  it  a  cut  1,000  feet  long 
was  made  through  the  rim  of  the  basin  at  the  south  side.  This  was 
20  feet  deep  at  the  upper  end  where  the  outlet  works  were  placed, 
and  its  depth  is  gradually  diminished  to  that  of  an  ordinary  ditch. 
The  outlet  was  made  by  laying  one  line  of  sewer  pipe  36  inches  in 
diameter  for  a  distance  of  100  feet  in  the  bottom  of  the  cut  and  con- 
structing transverse  retaining  walls  of  masonry  at  each  end  to  support 
the  earth  filled  in  on  top  to  the  original  natural  surface  of  the  ground. 
These  walls  are  2  feet  thick  and  have  wings  extending  from  them 
along  the  sides  of  the  cut.  The  bottom  of  the  ditch  just  below  the 
outlet  pipe  is  protected  as  far  as  the  wings  extend  by  an  apron  of 
flagging.  The  gate  is  of  steel,  3  feet  square,  is  brass  mounted  at 
the  edges,  and  slides  in  the  grooves  of  the  steel  frame.  It  is  placed 
in  a  well  in  the  middle  of  the  outlet.  The  well  is  6  feet  square  on  the 
inside  and  the  walls  are  18  inches  thick.     The  well  is  25  feet  in  depth, 


7:* 

5  feel  of  which  i>  above  the  ground,  probably  so  that  the  reservoir 
may  be  enlarged  by  an  embankment.  The  gate  stem  is  a  steel  rod  and 
the  lifting  apparatus  is  of  the  same  pattern  ;h  those  used  at  Lake 
Loveland  and  the  new  one  at  Mariano  Reservoir,  being  a  combination 
of  a  nut  turned  by  a  worm  gear  and  large  crank  wheel.  The  appa- 
ratus is  bolted  down  to  12  by  L2  inch  timbers  placed  across  the  top  of 
the  well. 

The  area  of  the  reservoir  is  L 60  acres,  and  when  tilled  L9  feel  may 
be  drawn  off.  It  was  full  in  L901,  hut  was  tilled  to  a  depth  of  only  12 
feel  in  L902,  when  it  was  estimated  to  he  two-thirds  full.  The  water 
surface  at  this  depth  is  1  1<»  acres. 

Its  capacity  is  estimated  to  be  1.722  acre-feet,  and  it  cost  $13,000, 
or  $7.55  per  acre-foot.  It  is  now  worth  $50,000  to  the  company.  It 
is  located  l.l  miles  northwest  of  the  town  of  Berthoud,  and  is  just 
under  the  Handy  Ditch,  from  which  it  is  tilled.  Its  outlet  ditch  irri- 
gates 2. not)  acres  of  land  on  the  slope  toward  the  Little  Thompson. 
The  Handy  Ditch  has  a  capacity  of  2r><>  cubic  feet  per  second.  After 
the  water  stored  in  the  reservoir  is  run  out  water  is  kept  running  into 
it  during  the  season,  and  this  being  let  out  at  intervals  serves  to  regu- 
late the  flow  of  the  Handy  Ditch.  Before  its  construction  sugar  beets 
and  potatoes  could  not  be  raised  under  this  part  of  the  Handy  Ditch. 

The  water  is  measured  by  the  miner's  inch  method,  and  in  1(.M)2  runs 
were  made  as  follows:  Sevent}^-two  hours,  beginning  May  25,  100 
inches  per  share;  forty-eight  hours,  beginning  June  25,  1<)<»  inches 
per  share,  and  twenty-four  hours,  beginning  July  1,  LOO  inches  per 
share. 

WELCH   RESERVOIRS. 

This  system  is  private  property  owned  by  Mr.  C.  C.  Welch,  the 
president  of  the  Handy  Ditch  Company.  It  originally  consisted  of 
five  natural  basins,  but  when  fully  developed  may  he  considered  as  two 
reservoirs.  One  reservoir  has  been  constructed  by  joining  together 
Nos.  1,  2,  and  5,  all  of  which  are  just  south  of  the  Handy  Ditch,  while 
Nos.  3  and  4,  on  the  north  side,  which  will  form  the  other  reservoir, 
remain  as  yet  unused. 

No.  2  is  connected  with  No.  1  on  the  east  side  by  sewer  pipe  laid  in 
a  tunnel  through  the  narrow  natural  ridge  between  them,  while  No.  5 
is  connected  with  No.  1  on  the  west  side  by  an  open  cut,  and  these  two 
are  one  basin  when  full.  The  outlet  is  at  the  south  side  of  No.  1  in  a 
cut  through  the  bank  4<«>  feet  long,  the  greatest  depth  of  which  is  1(.' 
feet.  The  discharge  is  controlled  by  ;i  wooden  gate  of  2-inch  plank  at 
the  upper  end  of  a  line  of  iron  pipe  3  feet  in  diameter.  The  gate  has 
a  wooden  stem  and  is  raised  by  a  screw.  The  capacity  of  the  basin 
could  be  greatly  enlarged  by  constructing  an  embankment  along  the 
south  side  of  the  basin. 


74 

The  combined  areas  of  Nos.  1,  2,  and  5  is  208  acres,  and  they  hold 
2,948  acre-feet,  besides  some  unavailable  water.  Their  cost  was  very 
small.  The  reservoir  has  been  full  every  year  since  its  construction, 
except  L902,  when  only  8  feet  of  water  was  stored.  The  reservoir 
holds  twice  this  depth.  It  has  no  decree,  but  by  virtue  of  rights  in  the 
Handy  Ditch  some  water  is  run  into  it  and  used  as  it  is  convenient. 
A  contract  exists  between  its  owner  and  the  Handy  Ditch  Company 
relative  to  running  water  into  the  reservoir.  Water  is  turned  from 
the  Handy  Ditch  immediately  into  Nos.  1  and  2  through  inlet  gates  at 
each.  The  water  is  distributed  through  the  outlet  ditch  of  the  reser- 
voir, which  is  high  enough  to  cover  most  of  the  lands  south  of  the 
Handy  Ditch.  The  reservoirs  of  this  system  could  be  conveniently 
connected  with  Loveland  Lake  Reservoir,  since  they  are  operated  in 
the  same  manner. 

Nos.  3  and  4  are  higher  than  the  others,  and  surveys  were  made  in 
the  fall  of  1902  for  the  development  of  these.  They  will  be  one  basin 
when  full.  The  proposed  plans  call  for  an  embankment  at  the  south 
and  west  sides,  the  greatest  height  of  which  will  be  14:  feet.  This  will 
give  an  area  of  260  acres  and  a  capacity  of  3,212  acre-feet  with  an 
additional  39  acres  of  unavailable  water  11  feet  deep  in  the  lowest 
portion  of  No.  3. 

The  Handy  Ditch  Company  has  long  felt  the  need  of  storage  facili- 
ties in  connection  with  its  system,  and  since  these  basins  are  above  the 
lands  of  nearly  three-fourths  of  the  users  under  the  ditch  there  is  a 
probability  of  their  transfer  to  the  company.  The  Handy  Ditch  and 
the  Home  Supply  Canal  run  nearly  parallel  throughout,  the  ditch 
being  the  higher  and  irrigating  land  on  the  Little  Thompson  slope, 
while  the  canal  irrigates  lands  on  both  slopes.  The  lands  under  them 
are  practically  the  same  in  character.  The  ditch  is  entitled  to  172.13 
cubic  feet  per  second  from  the  river  before  the  canal  can  divert  any 
water.  Both  have  been  reenforced  by  the  purchase  and  transfer  of 
rights  in  the  older  and  smaller  lower  ditches  on  the  river  having 
excessive  appropriations,  but  in  both  cases  the  use  of  water  under  these 
purchased  rights  has  been  limited  as  a  result  of  litigation  instigated 
b}r  irrigation  interest  on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  the  advantages 
gained  by  the  two  will  nearly  balance.  The  Home  Supply  system  is, 
however,  much  the  better  equipped — a  condition  which  exists  solely 
on  account  of  its  efficient  storage  system.  The  Handjr  Company  is 
unfortunate  in  not  having  suitable  reservoir  sites,  those  proposed 
beino-  too  small  to  aid  materially  in  serving  the  entire  ditch.  The 
deficiency  is  made  up  in  part  by  the  many  small  private  reservoirs 
under  the  ditch.  The  advantage  possessed  hy  the  irrigators  owning 
these  is  that  they  can  store  the  water  they  receive  from  their  ditch 
rights  and  hold  it  for  late  irrigation  or  use  it  at  their  convenience. 


75 


BIG  CUT  RESERVOIR. 


The  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal  toward  the  lower  end  gains  the 
top  of  the  divide  between  Big  Thompson  and  Cache  la  Poudre  rivers 
and  Irrigates  land  on  both  slopes,  several  of  the  largest  laterals  being 
taken  from  it  »>n  the  north  side.      At  one  point  farther  up  in  it-  course 

it  almost  reaches  the  top,  and  here  a  deep  <-ut  was  made,  through 
which  the  1  > i u  Cut  or  Oklahoma  Lateral  was  taken  to  irrigate  lands  in 
the  Oklahoma  Draw,  draining  to  the  ('ache  la  Poudre.  [rrigators  in 
this  little  valley  have  incorporated  the  Big  (ut  Lateral  and  Reservoir 
Company  and  constructed  their  reservoir,  which  is  filled  from  the  Big 
Thompson  by  the  canal  and  lateral.  The  reservoir  is  on  the  \\  <  -t  side 
of  the  draw  and  supplies  land  on  that  side,  while  the  lateral  covers 
the  land  on  the  east  side. 

The  reservoir  is  7<>  acres  in  area  and  holds  1.142  acre-feet  of   water. 


LAWN  RESERVOIR. 


The  Lawn  Reservoir  is  owned  by  the  Farmer's  Irrigating  Ditch  and 
Reservoir  Company.  The  company's  canal  is  the  Farmer's  Irrigating 
Canal,  which  leaves  the  Bio- Thompson  on  the  north  side  at  the  town 
of  Loveland.     The  reservoir  is  located   in  sees.  ^4  and  ^."),  T.  6  X., 


Fig.  9.— Cross  section  of  dam  of  Lawn  Reservoir. 

R.  74  W.,  and  is  in  the  mountains  30  miles  west  of  Loveland.  It  i» 
filled  by  natural  drainage  to  Fall  River,  a  tributary  of  the  Big 
Thompson,  and  the  water  stored  is  turned  into  the  river,  to  he  diverted 
at  the  head  gate  of  the  Farmer's  Irrigating  (anal  below.  The  basin 
is  a  natural  one,  into  wThich  runs  a  small  stream.  A  cut  was  made  for 
the  outlet  works.  The  reservoir  was  only  partly  completed  in  L902, 
but  12  feet  of  water  was  drawn  off.  The  capacity  will  be  enlarged  by 
a  dam  which  will  be  completed  before  the  spring  of  L903.  Tin4  plans 
prepared  by  the  company's  engineer  propose  a  dam  12  feet  high,  but  it 
may  be  finally  decided  to  reduce  this  to  «i  feet.  The  dam  will  he  con- 
structed of  loose  rock  on  the  lower  side  and  of  earth  on  the  upper 
(fig.  9).  The  rock  portion  will  be  5  feet  wide  on  top  and  will  have  a 
slope  of  2  to  1  on  the  outside  and  i  to  1  on  the  Inside.  The  earth  fill- 
ing against  the  latter  will  add  5  feet  to  the  width  of  the  top  of  the  dam 
which  will  be  given  a  slope  of  4  to  1  on  the  inside. 

The  outlet  is  through  a  steel  pipe  3  feet  in  diameter  and  three-six- 
teenths of  an  inch  in  thickness.      It  is  covered  hv  3  inches  of  concrete 


76 

and  has  three  concrete  collars  l  foot  thick.  The  regulating  gate  will 
be  an  iron  water  valve  which  will  he  placed  in  a  well  at  the  middle  of 
the  dam.  The  walls  of  the  well  are  founded  on  2  foot  of  concrete 
and  for  :;  feel  in  height  arc  of  masonry  1  foot  thick.  Above  this  the 
well  i-  cased  with  wood. 

In  L902,  25  cubic  feet  per  second  was  drawn  from  the  reservoir  for 
twenty  days,  which  gives  a  total  of  \W  acre-feet.  When  the  reser- 
voir i^  completed  the  capacity  will  he  much  greater.  There  are  30 
shares  in  the  Fanner's  Irrigating  Company;  therefore  33  acre-feet 
was  stored  for  each  -hare,  although  the  amount  actually  furnished 
was  less,  since  some  loss  must  occur  in  running  the  water  so  far  to  the 
land.  Each  share  represents  a  L60-acre  water  right.  The  reservoir 
will  cost  not  over  $12,000,  or  *1lM<>  per  acre-foot.  The  shares  were 
worth  $1,200  each  in  L901,  hut  since  the  construction  of  the  reservoir 
they  are  worth  $2,000  each. 

LITTLE  THOMPSON  RESERVOIR. 

The  Little  Thompson  Reservoir  is  on  the  line  of  the  Hillsborough 
Canal.  3£  miles  above  its  end.  It  is  owned  by  the  Little  Thompson 
Reservoir  and  Water  Supply  Company,  an  organization  composed  of 
the  farmers  under  this  part  of  the  canal.  The  embankment  was  con- 
structed in  1S97  and  belongs  to  a  very  expensive  clas<.  An  embank- 
ment was  constructed  across  a  gulch  or  draw  which  is  very  large 
compared  with  the  basin  above  it.  The  greatest  height  of  the  embank- 
ment is  34  feet  and  its  length  860  feet.  There  is  a  slight  bend  at  one 
point.  It  is  20  feet  wide  on  top  and  its  slopes  are  1|  to  1  on  the  out- 
side and  5  to  1  on  the  inside.  It  was  constructed  in  3-foot  layers  and 
is  not  riprapped. 

The  outlet  is  at  the  base  of  the  embankment,  and  was  made  by  lay- 
ing two  lines  of  21  -inch  cement  pipe  in  a  bed  of  concrete  0  inches 
deep  and  6*  feet  wide.  Cement  collars  were  placed  around  the  pipes 
at  each  joint.  The  retaining  walls  at  the  ends  are  of  vitrified  brick 
set  ±  feet  into  the  earth  and  having  6  feet  of  height  above.  The  gate 
well  protrudes  from  the  inner  slope  of  the  embankment  near  the  top 
and  is  founded  on  2  feet  of  cement.  The  well  is  of  vitrified  brick, 
and  tin1  gates  are  of  wood,  faced  with  steel  plates  at  the  edges.  They 
slide  on  a  frame  of  12  by  12  inch  timbers  built  against  the  inside  of 
the  well.  The  crate  rods  are  34  feet  long,  and.  being  onlv  14-  inch  in 
diameter,  it  was  found  necessary  to  brace  them  every  2  feet  to  prevent 
their  springing  when  the  gates  w  ere  being  forced  down.  The  power 
i>  applied  by  means  of  nuts  on  the  rods.  The  reservoir  is  in  the 
bluffs  along  the  south  side  of  the  Little  Thompson  near  its  junction 
with  the  Big  Thompson,  and  when  floods  occur  water  rushes  down  the 
gulches  at  a  rapid  rate,  so  for  the  protection  of  the  dam  a  waste  way 


77 

was  cut  in  the  natural  earth  around  one  end  of  it.  The  dam  was  con- 
structed on  the  old  embankment  of  the  I  [illsborough  Canal,  which  was 
15  feel  high  where  it  crossed  the  draw.  The  owners  <d*  the  reservoir 
have  realized  since  thai  they  made  a  serious  mistake  in  leaving  a  dis- 
tinct seam  between  the  old  embankment  of  the  ditch  and  the  new  earth 
of  the  dam.  The  new  portion  of  the  dam  became  saturated  with  seep- 
age, causing  it  to  break  away  to  within  2  inches  of  the  water's  edge 
in  June.  L900,  when  there  was  29  feet  of  water  against  the  dam.  If 
the  old  embankment  had  been  plowed  and  worked  in  with  the  fresh 
earth  the  break  would  probably  not  have  occurred.  Rock  and  gravel 
were  used  as  a  solid  foundation  in  repairing  the  break. 

The  reservoir  covers  1<'><>  acres  and  holds  987  acre-feet.  It  cosl 
$18,000,  which  gives  the  unusually  high  figure  of  $18.24  per  acre-foot. 
The  expense  of  maintenance  is  £f>oo  annually.  The  stock  of  the  com- 
pany consists  of  120  shares,  which  have  advanced  in  value  from  K90 
to  Sl'oo  each.  The  reservoir  holds  8.23  acre-feet  per  share.  Prior  to 
1897,  every  farm,  without  exception,  under  the  Hillsborough  (anal 
below  the  reservoir  that  had  been  dependent  upon  the  canal  alone 
went  to  foreclosure  and  could  not  be  made  to  produce  the  owners' 
expense  of  maintenance.  In  1898  tin4  best  land,  with  its  water  rights, 
could  be  bought  for  from  $12  to  $15  per  acre,  while  it  is  now  selling 
at  $00  per  acre  as  a  result  of  the  construction  of  the  reservoir. 

The  reservoir  receives  water  from  both  Big  and  Little  Thompson 
rivers  through  the  Hillsborough  Canal,  which  heads  in  the*  former  and 
crosses  the  latter.  The  main  part  of  the  canal  is  above  this  crossing, 
where  its  capacity  is  160  cubic  feet  per  second.  The  part  below  the 
crossing,  known  as  the  Little  Thompson  Ditch,  has  a  capacity  of 
150  cubic  feet  per  second  as  far  as  the  reservoir.  The  ditch  runs 
through  the  reservoir,  and  it  is  stated  that  the  water  coming  to  it  will 
till  it  four  times  each  year.  The  Little  Thompson  furnishes  about  40 
cubic  feet  per  second  to  the  inlet  during  April,  and  from  1<»  t<>  L5 
cubic  feet  per  second  during  June,  July,  and  August.  Its  flow  in 
these  last  few  months  is  made1  up  almost  entirely  from  seepage,  and 
it  is  claimed  that  it  was  practically  dry  fifteen  years  ago.  The  reser- 
voir has  no  decreed  right  for  tilling. 

The  reservoir  is  only  3i  miles  above  the  lower  end  of  the  Hillsbor- 
ough Canal,  and  it  is  the  only  one  used  in  connection  with  it.  Those 
irrigators  under  the  canal  below  the  reservoir  can  not  depend  wholly 
on  the  reservoir,  but  the  canal  would  be  of  little  benefit  to  them  with- 
out it.  The  water  is  measured  in  its  distribution  over  trapezoidal 
weirs.  In  1902  the  amount  stored  was  only  528  acre-feet,  but  987 
acre-feet  was  run  in  afterwards  and  used. 


78 

ISH  LAKE  RESERVOIR. 

The  reservoir  of  the  Boulder  and  Larimer  County  Irrigation  and 
Manufacturing  Company  is  commonly  called  [sh  Lake.  It  is  on  the 
south  side  of  the  Little  Thompson,  and  is  directly  on  the  line  between 
Boulder  and  Larimer  counties. 

The  reservoir  is  i>s,»  acre-  in  area  and  is  20  feet  deep.  Its  capacity 
is  estimated  at  L, 722  acre-feet.  An  embankment  600  feet  in  length  and 
15  feet  high  was  constructed  along  the  north  side,  and  it  is  well  rip- 
rapped.  It  is  L5  feet  wide  on  top  and  has  slopes  of  2fc  to  1  on  the 
inside  and  li  to  1  on  the  outside.  The  outlet  is  through  a  24-inch 
cement  and  gravel  pipe  laid  in  a  cut  and  is  under  the  embankment. 
The  pipe  is  surrounded  by  a  transverse  masonry  wall  at  each  end.  It 
extends  some  distance  into  the  basin  beyond  the  embankment  and 
drains  water  below  the  level  of  the  base  of  the  embankment.  The 
gate  is  operated  in  a  masonry  well  placed  at  the  inner  edge  of  the  top 
of  the  embankment.  The  well  is  round  and  is  6  feet  in  diameter.  The 
gate  is  of  oak  and  is  raised  by  a  nut  on  the  gate  rod. 

The  supply  for  filling  the  reservoir  is  received  through  its  inlet 
ditch  from  the  Little  Thompson.  Two  decrees  have  been  given  to  the 
Boulder  and  Larimer  County  Irrigation  and  Manufacturing  Company's 
Ditch  and  Reservoir— one  dated  June  30,  1875.  for  '27. '2^  cubic  feet 
per  second,  one  dated  May  '20.  1877.  for  39.52  cubic  feet  per  second. 
The  water  is  used  below  it  on  the  lands  of  the  owners  in  the  Little 
Thompson  Valley.  This  stream  furnishes  very  little  water  for  stor- 
age, and.  unlike  the  Little  Thompson  Reservoir,  Ish  Lake  is  too  far 
up  to  benefit  much  by  the  seepage  into  the  stream.  It  has  been  a 
great  benefit  to  these  lands,  however,  and  paid  for  itself  in  a  short 
time.  In  1901  it  *vas  full,  but  in  1902  there  were  no  floods  in  the  Big 
Thompson  and  practically  no  water  was  caught.  Four  feet  of  water 
remained  in  the  lowest  portion  of  the  basin  below  the  level  of  the 
outlet,  and  in  an  attempt  to  save  as  much  as  possible  of  the  crops 
dependent  upon  the  reservoir  all  this  otherwise  unavailable  water  was 
pumped  into  the  outlet  ditch  by  means  of  a  small  pump  and  portable 
steam  engine. 

OTHER  RESERVOIRS  ON  THE  BIG  THOMPSON. 

Many  of  the  small  reservoirs  are  filled  partly  or  wholly  by  seepage. 
Some  are  distinctly  seepage  reservoirs,  having  been  filed  upon  as  such 
under  the  laws  of  the  State,  which  make  seepage  water  subject  to  the 
same  law-  a-  the  water  of  natural  streams.  Many  of  them  are  filled 
partly  or  wholly  from  some  of  the  large  canals,  and.  following  strictly 
the  laws  of  the  State,  this  use  is  often  illegal,  for  the  storage  of  water 
when  it  is  needed  for  direct  irrigation  is  prohibited.  The  view  that 
the  farmers  themselves  take  is  that  they  are  entitled  to  a  certain 
amount  of  water  by  the  ownership  of  stock  in  a  ditch  company,  and 


79 

thai  when  this  water  Is  measured  <>ut  to  them  at  the  head  of  a  lateral 
they  have  a  righl  to  use  it  as  they  please.  When  a  ran  is  made  in  the 
canal  they  of  ten  store  the  water  in  their  small  reservoirs  and  li<>l<l  it 
for  late  irrigation.  Some  of  these  reservoirs  act  as  regulators  to  the 
laterals  and  water  is  kept  running  through  them  mosl  of  the  season. 
Sometimes  water  is  stored  in  the  reservoir  during  the  night  and  used 
from  it  during  the  day,  thus  greatly  increasing  the  efficiency  of  the 
water  supply.  When  there  is  a  flood  in  tin4  streams  and  all  the  Large 
inlets  are  full,  water  is  taken  by  the  large  canals,  from  which  it  is  turned 
into  the  small  reservoirs.  Sometimes  this  is  done  in  the  spring,  and 
after  the  reservoirs  are  emptied  they  are  again  filled  as  previously 
described.  It  is  evident  that  this  is  an  economical  use  of  water,  and 
since  others  are  not  injured  no  objections  are  made  to  the  practice. 

No  filings  were  ever  made  for  many  of  even  those  reservoirs  which 
were  constructed  while  filings  were  required  by  law.  The  sites  of 
others  were  tiled  upon  so  many  times  before  final  construction  that  the 
records  are  very  confusing.  The  reservoirs  are  usually  constructed 
by  the  farmers  themselves  and  are  nearly  always  situated  on  their 
owners'  farms.  They  are  usually  used  in  irrigating  one  or  two  farms, 
seldom  for  three.  It  is  noticeable  that  they  are  grouped  under  those 
canals  not  supplemented  by  large  storage  systems.  On  the  Big  Thomp- 
son most  of  them  are  under  the  Handy  Ditch  and  the  Louden  Canal, 
neither  of  which  is  fortunate  in  having  suitable  sites  for  large  reser- 
voirs. Practically  no  small  reservoirs  are  found  under  the  Home 
Supply  Canal,  which  has  an  efficient  storage  system. 

There  are  a  great  many  small  reservoirs  under  the  Cache  la  Poudre 
as  well  as  under  the  Big  Thompson,  but  no  attempt  was  made  to  col- 
lect data  regarding  them.  Those  under  the  Big  Thompson  have  been 
used  to  illustrate  the  extent  of  the  usefulness  of  small  reservoirs  and 
the  list  for  the  stream  is  fairly  complete.  While  none  of  those  described 
is  of  any-  great  importance,  considered  singly,  in  the  aggregate  they 
are  no  small  factor  in  the  maturing  of  the  late  crops. 

In  regard  to  the  cost  of  small  reservoirs,  it  is  impossible  to  secure 
accurate  data,  for  they  are  usually  constructed  by  the  farmers  them- 
selves and  no  account  is  kept  of  the  work. 

The  Rist  Reservoir  is  the  only  one  taking  water  directly  from  the 
river.     Nearly  all  others  are  filled  from  one  of  the  large  canals. 

RIST    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir,  although  small,  is  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  vajley. 
Together  with  the  George  Rist  Ditch,  it  was  constructed  to  supply 
water  for  the  irrigation  of  the  Rist  ranch,  to  which  both  belong. 
This  property  is  now  known  as  the  Buckingham  estate,  and  consists 
of  1,800  acres,  divided  into  farms  which  are  leased,  the  water  being 
prorated  among  the  several  tenants  according  to  a  paragraph  in  the 
leases. 


80 

The  reservoir  has  priority  No.  1  for  tilling,  its  decree,  dated  Septem- 
ber L5,  L874,  being  for  5,210,865  cubic  feet.  This  gives  120  acre-feet 
as  its  capacity.  It  is  tilled  from  the  Big  Thompson  through  the 
George  Kist  Ditch,  which  was  enlarged  bythe  Home  Supply  Company 
when  the  site  for  the  Mariano  Reservoir  and  the  right  of  way  was 
purchased,  and  has  been  since  maintained  by  the  latter  company. 
The  reservoir  is  27  acres  in  area,  and  the  water  is  drawn  off  through 
an  open  ditch,  where  the  discharge  is  controlled  by  a  wooden  head 
gate. 

RESERVOIRS    FILLED    FROM    HANDY    DITCH. 
BUMMEL    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  on  the  line  between  sees.  8  and  17,  T.  1  N., 
R.  68  W.,  and  was  constructed  in  1882.  It  covers  35  acres  and  holds 
12,807,000  cubic  feet,  or  291  acre-feet,  which  is  the  amount  of  its 
claim,  tiled  in  1882.  Ten  feet  of  water  ma}7  be  drawn  off,  while  6  feet 
is  unavailable.  It  irrigates  100  acres  of  land  belonging  to  its  owner, 
Mr.  J.  C.  Hummel.  It  was  tilled  in  1901,  but  only  partially  tilled  the 
following  year,  which  is  the  second  time  a  shortage  has  occurred.  In 
1902  the  water  was  used  on  112  acres  of  wheat,  18  acres  of  oats,  15 
acres  of  alfalfa,  and  20  acres  of  sugar  beets.  It  is  filled  in  the  spring, 
there  being  a  contract  for  this  purpose  between  its  owner  and  the 
ditch  company.  The  embankment  of  the  reservoir  is  12  feet  high  and 
the  outlet  is  of  11-inch  tiling.  The  gate  is  of  wood  and  is  operated  in 
a  masoniw  well. 

DE    FRANCE    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  about  the  common  corner  of  sees.  1,  5,  8, 
and  9,  T.  1  N.,  R.  68  W.,  and  covers  32  acres.  Its  capacity  is  the 
amount  claimed  in  1883,  12,000,000  cubic  feet,  or  275  acre-feet,  and  it 
irrigates  250  acres  of  the  land  of  its  owner,  Judge  A.  H.  DeFrance. 
It  was  constructed  in  1883,  and  was  used  that  year  and  has  been  used 
every  year  since.  It  is  filled  in  the  spring,  and  by  contract  its  owner 
pa}Ts  the  ditch  company  a  consideration  for  this.  The  embankment  is 
10  feet  high  and  the  outlet  is  of  tiling. 

BEASLEY    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  was  tiled  on  in  1881,  and  is  now  owned  by  J.  Y.  Mun- 
son.  It  is  locally  known  as  Town  Lake,  or  Berthoud  Lake,  because  it 
supplies  water  used  in  the  town  of  Berthoud,  1£  miles  south  of  it.  Its 
appropriation  under  date  of  1881  was  originally  for  8,000,000  cubic 
feet.  It  is  located  in  sec.  11,  T.  1  N.,  R.  69  W.,  and  covers  10  acres. 
It  has  a  small  embankment,  which  is  riprapped  with  stone.  Its  outlet 
is  of  wood,  the  gate  being  at  the  upper  end.  in  the  reservoir.  It 
repaid  its  cost  in  two  years  and  irrigates  320  acres. 


81 

WELCH    LAKE    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  in  the  SE,  1  of  sec.  35,  T.  5  N..  R.  69  W. 
It  is  just  above  the  I  Iome  Supply  ( anal,  the  embankment  <>l*  the  reser 
voir,  Lo  feet  high,  being  along  the  south  bank  of  the  canal.  It  is 
filled  to  some  extent  by  seepage  as  well  as  from  the  Handy  Ditch. 
The  outlet  is  a  tube  extending  through  the  embankment,  made  of  four 
2  by  L2  inch  planks  nailed  together,  and  haying  a  wooden  gate.  The 
reservoir  is  below  the  lands  of  its  owners  and  its  supply  Is  used  in 
an  exchange  with  the  Home  Supply  Canal,  into  which  it  is  run.  It  is 
23  acres  in  area  and  has  a  claimed  supply  of  676  acre-feet,  although  it 
irrigates  only  80  acres. 

HUPP    I.AKK    RESERVOIR, 

This  reservoir  is  situated  in  the  NW.  i  of  sec.  35,  T.  5  N.,  R.  69  W. 
It  is  15  acres  in  area  and  holds  50  acre-feet,  partly  irrigating  L60  acres 
of  the  lands  of  its  owners.  It  has  a  small  embankment,  and  the  outlet 
is  through  an  open  cut.  where  a  head  gate  controls  the  discharge. 

SMITH-WELTY   RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  in  sec.  15,  T.  4  X.,  R.  68  W.  Its  embank- 
ment is  6  feet  high,  and  it  covers  25  acres.  Its  capacity  is  4,356,000 
cubic  feet,  or  100  acre-feet,  and  it  is  used  in  the  irrigation  of  the  lands 
of  its  owners,  for  whom  it  is  named. 

PAGAN    RESERVOIR. 

This  small  reservoir  irrigates  probably  40  acres.  It  is  located  in 
the  SW.  J  of  sec.  11.  T.  4  N.,  R.  69  W. 

VOGL   RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  in  the  SW.  i  of  sec.  11,  T.  I  X..  R.  69  W.,  and 
supplies  water  for  probably  10  acres.  The  outlet  consists  of  a  wooden 
head  gate  in  an  open  ditch. 

M'COY    kksekvoik. 

This  reservoir  w^as  first  used  in  190:2.  It  is  located  in  the  SE.  £  of 
sec.  11,  T.  4  X.,  R.  69  W.  It  furnishes  water  for  one  small  farm  and 
is  very  small. 

JANSEN   RESERVOIR. 

The  reservoir  owned  by  James  Jansen  is  also  known  as  the  Cole 
Reservoir,  and  appears  in  the  articles  filed  in  the  office  of  the  county 
clerk  as  the  reservoir  of  the  Sunny  Slope  Reservoir  Company.  It 
covers  40  acres  and  is  located  in  the  center  of  sec.  1:2,  T.  4  X..  R.  69 
W.,  under  the  Handy  Ditch,  but  it  is  filled  entirely  from  seepage. 
Its  capacity  is  probably  4,356,000  cubic  feet,  or  100  acre-feet,  audit 
has  recentlv  been  unused  for  irrigation. 


688— Xo.  134—03 6 


82 

WILSON    RE8BBYOIB. 

This  reservoir  is  the  private  property  of  S.  J.  Wilson  and  is  used  in 
connection  with  his  land.  It  is  tilled  from  the  Zweck  Lateral  of  the 
Handy  Ditch  and  holds  6,511,000  cubic  feet,  or  L49  acre-feet,  which 
was  the  amount  filed  on  in  L891.  It-  embankment  Is  8  feet  high  and 
300  feel  long.  The  outlet  is  a  wooden  conduit  with  the  gate  at  the 
upper  (jnd  controlled  from  a  platform.  It  is  located  in  see.  20, 
T.  4N.,E.  69  W. 

WlLSoX-STKKVEK    KESEKY<  UK. 

This  reservoir  is  located  in  the  SE.  J  of  sec.  17.  T.  4  X..  R.  ♦',!>  W. 
The  embankment  is  6  feet  high,  making  the  water  surface  cover  31 
acres.  It  is  tilled  through  the  Zweck  Lateral  of  the  Ilandv  Ditch  and 
irrigates  100  acre-.  The  outlet  i-  a  wooden  conduit  with  the  gate  at 
the  upper  end.     The  capacity  is  estimated  to  be  loo  acre-feet. 

LOVELANIJ    LATERAL    KESEKVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  sometimes  confused  with  the  reservoir  of  the  Love- 
land  Lake  and  Ditch  Company  about  3  miles  east  of  it.  It  i»  located  in 
the  NW.  i  of  sec.  21,  T.  -1  N.,  R.  69  W.,  and  is  tilled  from  the  Handy 
Ditch  through  the  Zweck  lateral.  Its  appropriation  made  in  1902  is 
for  630  acre-feet,  and  this  may  be  taken  as  it^  capacity,  although  it 
could  be  largely  increased  by  an  embankment  1"  feet  high.  At  present 
the  water  is  drawn  from  the  basin  through  a  cut  in  which  a  wooden 
head  gate  controls  the  discharge. 

KEE    KESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  on  the  line  between  sees.  17  and  20.  T.  -i 
X..  K.  69  W.,  and  is  about  10  acres  in  area.  The  embankment  is  12 
feet  high  and  extends  across  a  small  draw.  The  reservoir  is  tilled 
from  the  Handy  Ditch  by  the  Zweck  Lateral,  and  serves  to  irrigate 
about  50  acres.     Its  capacity  is  estimated  at  100  acre-feet. 

HUPPE    KESEKYOIR. 

This  reservoir  was  constructed  and  is  owned  by  Huppe  Brothers,  and 
is  situated  on  their  land  in  the  NW.  i  of  sec.  28,  T.  4  X..  R.  69  W. 
It  is  tilled  from  the  Zweck  Lateral  of  the  Handy  Ditch,  and  recently 
has  not  been  used  to  advantage,  as  it  has  swamped  20  acres  of  land  with 
alkali,  and  that  is  as  much  as  it  will  irrigate.  Its  papers  were  tiled  in 
1882.  claiming  3,169,000  cubic  feet,  or  73  acre-feet,  which  is  at  least 
not  under  its  capacity.  It  has  an  embankment  -1  feet  high  and  covers 
about  10  acres. 


83 

RESERVOIRS    FILLED    FROM    LOUDEN    CANAL. 

i   URPORT    i  \K  i:    i;i>i:i;\  OIB. 

This  reservoir,  commonly  called  Fairport  Lake.  was  formerly 
known  as  Geneva  Lake  and  was  filed  upon  once  under  thai  name. 
It  is  located  in  sec.  L3,  T.  6  N..  R.  69  W.,  and  i^  53  acre-  in  area.  At 
present  its  embankment  is  high  enough  to  allow  L2  feet  of  water  to 
be  drawn  off,  but  its  capacity  could  l>e  increased  to  50,000,00C  cubic 
feet  or  more  by  increasing  the  height  of  the  embankment.  Its  present 
capacity  is  25, 1 73, 000  cubic  feet,  or  585  acre-feet,  this  being  the 
amount  claimed  in  L883  by  the  Fairport  Lake  and  (anal  Company.  It 
is  tilled  from  the  northern  extension  of  the  Louden  ('anal  and  irri- 
gates 1,500  acres.  The  canal,  like  the  Handy  Ditch,  is  badly  in  need 
of  storage  works, and  the  enlargement  of  this  reservoir  has  been  con- 
sidered by  the  company,  which  has  no  good  available  sites. 

BIG    THOMPSON    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir,  much  better  known  as  Cemetery  Lake,  is  one  of  the 
oldest  reservoirs  in  the  Big  Thompson  Valley.  It  supplies  water  for 
the  irrigation  of  400  acres,  and  is  owned  hy  F.  G.  Bartholf  and  others. 

The  reservoir  has  priority  No.  4  on  the  Big  Thompson,  entitling  it  to 
44,000,000  cubic  feet  from  that  stream,  under  date  of  May  18,  L881.  It 
is  probable  that  the  capacity  of  the  reservoir  is  equal  to  only  about 
one-half  this  amount,  or  500  acre-feet.  It  is  filled  through  the  Louden 
Canal,  and  is  located  north  of  the  town  of  Loveland,  between  Lake 
Lovelandand  the  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir.  The  basin  is  entirely  natural 
and  the  water  is  drawn  off  through  acut.  A  head  gate  in  the  latter 
controls  the  run  off. 

By  reason  of  its  excessive  decree  it,  like  the  Louden  Reservoir  and 
the  old  ditches,  has  been  regarded  as  desirable  property,  and  an  attempt 
was  made  in  1901  by  the  Seven  Lakes  Company  to  include  it  in  the 
Seven  Lakes  Reservoir  system  as  No.  5.  Had  the  transfer  been  effected 
it  is  probable  that  the  amount  decreed,  and  not  the  amount  actually 
held  by  the  reservoir,  would  have  been  taken  from  the  river  and  the 
excess  run  through  Cemetery  Lake  into  the  rest  of  the  Seven  Lakes 
reservoirs. 

XEI.soX    RESERVOIRS    NOS.    1     AND    2. 

These  reservoirs  are  used  together  and  are  owned  by  John  II.  Nelson 
and  others,  they  having  tiled  a  claim  of  an  appropriation  of  7,970,000 
cubic  feet,  or  1,830  acre-feet,  in  1902.  They  cost  about  $100  and  sup- 
ply water  to  214  acres.  They  are  rilled  from  the  Louden  Canal  and 
floods. 


84 

BENSON    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  owned  by  Mr.  A.  S.  Benson,  president  of  the 
Louden  Irrigating  Canal  Company.  It  is  Located  in  sec.  10,  T.  5  N., 
K.  69  W.,  and  covers  L3  acres.  It  is  lilled  from  the  Louden  Canal 
and  is  used  to  regulate  the  flow  of  one  lateral.  Its  owner  claims  that 
the  How  of  the  ditch  is  practically  doubled  as  the  water  is  turned  into 
the  reservoir  at  night  and  then  used  from  it  during  the  day.  The 
embankment  is  4  feet  high,  but  5  feet  of  water  can  be  drawn  off. 

BENTA1    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  in  sec.  2,  T.  5  N.,  R.  09  W.,  and  is  filled  from  the 
Louden  Canal.  It  covers  1<>  acres  and  supplies  water  for  the  irriga- 
tion of  60  acres. 

DARROUGH    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  in  sec.  4,  T.  5  N.,  R.  68  W.,  and  covers  60 
acres.  An  appropriation  was  claimed  in  1891  for  18,060,000  cubic 
feet,  or  415  acre-feet. 

RESERVOIRS    FILLED    FROM    LOVELAND    AND    GREELEY    CANAL. 
HAWKINS    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  in  sees.  21  and  28,  T.  5  N.,  R.  67  W.  Its 
owners  claim  a  capacity  of  1,106,000  cubic  feet,  or  25  acre-feet.  It  is 
tilled  by  seepage  from  lands  under  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal. 

STEELE    &    PHILLIPS    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  owned  by  Robert  Steele  and  J.  B.  Phillips  and  is 
in  sec.  16,  T.  5  N.,  R.  66  W.  Its  area  is  10  acres,  and  its  owners 
claimed  an  appropriation  of  1,600,000  cubic  feet,  or  37  acre-feet,  in 
1889.  It  is  tilled  at  intervals  during  each  season  from  the  Loveland 
and  Greeley  Canal  and  acts  as  a  regulator  in  irrigating  the  two  farms 
of  its  owners.     The  reservoir  cost  $300. 

SHEEP    DRAW    RESERVOIR. 

This  Aery  small  reservoir  is  tilled  by  seepage  from  the  land  under 
the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal.  It  was  formed  by  constructing  a 
small  embankment  across  a  gulch. 

BARTEL    RESERVOIR. 

Bartel  Brothers  own  this  reservoir,  which  is  located  in  sec.  20,  T. 
5  K,  R.  65  W.  It  is  very  small  and  is  filled  mainly  from  seepage 
from  lands  irrigated  by  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal.  It  has  a 
small  embankment  across  a  gulch,  which  broke  at  one  time  and  was 
rebuilt. 


85 

Kl'.si'.KYolKS    K1LLKI)    FROM    HOME    BUPPL1     (ANAL. 
BE  V  5     RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  Located  in  sec.  :;,  T.  1  N..  R.  68  \\  ..  and  is  tilled 
from  the  I  Ionic  Supply  Canal.      It  is  used  in  irrigating  one  farm  Only. 

CHAPW  w    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  located  in  sec.  6,  T.  J  N..  Et.  68  W.,  and  is  between 
the  Home  Supply  (anal  and  the  Home  Supply  Reservoir  Ditch.  It  is 
very  small. 

RESERVOIRS    ALONG    THE    LITTLE   THOMPSON. 

WHITK-m  T'.KK    RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  was  constructed  in  l!M)l  and  is  located  in  sees,  'i'i  and 
27,  T.  4  N.,  R.  6&  W.  It  was  formed  by  a  dam  across  a  draw  in  the 
bluffs  alone-  the  south  side  of  the  Little  Thompson  and  is  filled  mainly 
by  floods,  hut  may  be  tilled  from  the  Highland  Ditch  from  the  St. 
Vrain  Creek.  The  water  is  used  on  tin4  land  of  its  owners,  E.  White 
and  T.  Butler,  along-  the  Little  Thompson.  The  dam  is  23  feel  high, 
440  feet  long,  and  12  feet  wide  on  top,  and  has  outside  slopes  of  1 J  to 
1  and  4  to  1,  respectively.  The  outlet  works  are  built  of  Oregon  fir, 
there  being  a  tube  through  the  dam  and  a  well  in  the  middle,  when4 
the  gate  is  placed.  The  cost  was  $1,400.  Sixteen  feet  of  water  can 
be  drawn  from  18  acres.  The  amount  claimed  in  1897  was  8,146,000 
cubic  feet,  or  187  acre-feet,  The  cost  per  acre-foot  would  therefore 
be  $7.49. 

CULVER   RESERVOIR. 

This  reservoir  is  tilled  from  the  Little  Thompson  and  is  in  sec.  31, 
T.  4  N.,  R.  69  W.  It  is  about  20  acres  in  area  and  has  a  small  rip- 
rapped  embankment. 

KNAUS   RESERVOIK. 

At  present  this  reservoir  has  a  low  embankment  and  a  small  wooden 
head  gate  in  an  open  ditch,  which  holds  some  water,  but  its  capacity 
could  be  greatly  increased  by  a  higher  embankment.  It  is  situated 
just  outside  the  foothills,  and  the  greatest  objection  to  its  enlargement 
is  the  difficulty  of  filling  it.  The  natural  drainage  would  not  be  suffi- 
cient, and  it  would  require  an  inlet  ditch.  One  could  probably  be  made 
from  the  Little  Thompson,  but  it  would  be  difficult  and  expensive,  and 
it  is  a  question  whether  its  construction  would  be  warranted,  since 
that  stream  furnishes  so  little  unappropriated  water  for  storage. 

Nothing  was  learned  of  Bennetts  Reservoir,  which  is  decreed  the 
third  right  on  Big  Thompson  River,  except  that  it.  is  probably  on  the 
south  side  of  Little  Thompson  River.  According  to  the  decree  its 
capacity  is  only  29  acre-feet. 

The  Rockwell  Reservoir  and  Baxter  Reservoir  are  on  the  south  side 
of  the  Little  Thompson,  but  the}T  are  filled  from  the  St.  Vrain  Creek. 


86 

PROPOSED  WORKS 
BOl  D   LAKE    SITE. 

The  Boyd  Lake  --it <•  has  been  under  consideration  ever  since  the 
practicability  and  value  of  reservoirs  in  north-central  Colorado  have 
been  clearly  demonstrated,  but  as  jei  nothing  has  been  accomplished 
toward  its  construction.  Meanwhile  so  many  storage  works  have 
been  developed  that  the  available  supply  for  tilling  Boyd  Lake  is  com- 
ing to  be  seriously  questioned.  It  is  probable,  however,  that  it  could 
he  used  to  an  advantage  in  some  years,  and  if  so  it  would  repay  its 
cost  in  a  few  such  seasons.  In  location  gives  it  one  unusual  advan- 
tage, the  possibility  of  storing  in  it  th.e  surplus  waters  of  both  the 
Cache  laPoudreand  Big  Thompson  rivers,  which  may  be  accomplished 
by  an  extension  of  the  New  Mercer  Canal  from  the  former  stream  and 
of  the  Barnes  Ditch  from  the  latter,  although  both  should  be  enlarged 
in  order  to  insure  the  carriage  of  flood  waters. 

The  site  really  consists  of  two  natural  lakes,  Boyd  Lake  and  South 
Lake,  which  would  become  one  bod}-  of  water  when  the  large  basin 
including  both  is  tilled.  A  survey  of  the  site  was  made  in  1897  by 
Capt.  H.  M.  Chittenden,  of  the  United  States  Corps  of  Engineers,  and 
is  described  as  the  Loveland  site  in  his  report  on  ••Reservoir  Sites  in 
Wyoming  and  Colorado.'1  The  area  of  the  basin  was  found  to  be 
1,920  acres  and  its  capacity  above  the  present  level  of  the  water  sur- 
face in  the  lower  lake,  this  being  the  elevation  of  the  proposed  outlet. 
was  determined  to  be  45.740  acre-feet.  The  outlet  works  recom- 
mended were  elaborate  and  the  cost  was  estimated  at  *262,106,  or 
85.73  per  acre-foot,  which  is  very  reasonable.  The  cost  would  be 
greatly  lessened  and  a  large  capacity  would  still  be  secured  if  the  basin 
were  not  drained  so  low  as  the  plans  provide,  and  it  is  thought  by 
many  that  this  would  be  the  more  feasible  plan.  The  basin  can  be 
drained  most  conveniently  to  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley  by  a  cut 
through  the  rim  of  the  basin  at  the  northeast  side  of  Boyd  Lake. 

In  1893  the  Northern  Water  Storage  Company  tiled  a  claim  for 
1.143,450,000  cubic  feet,  or  26,250  acre-feet,  for  a  reservoir  at  the 
Boyd  Lake  site.  The  Boyd  Lake  Reservoir  Company  tiled  another  in 
L895  for  1,305,972,360  cubic  feet,  or  29,981  acre-feet,  Two  other  fil- 
ings were  made  in  1902,  one  by  the  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir  Company 
for  2.340,300,000  cubic  feet,  or  53.726  acre-feet,  and  one  by  the  Boyd 
Lake  Irrigation  Company  for  1.623.045,000  cubic  feet,  or  37.259  acre- 
feet.  The  Seven  Lakes  Company  proposes  to  connect  the  Seven  Lakes 
Reservoir  with  Bo\~d  Lake  by  making  an  outlet  at  the  dam  across  Dry 
Creek  at  No.  2  of  the  Seven  Lakes.  They  have  also  desired  to  con- 
nect Seven  Lakes  with  Lake  Loveland  and  to  enlarge  and  extend  the 
Barnes  Ditch  to  the  Seven  Lakes,  making  it  the  outlet  of  the  system. 
This  plan  of  cooperation  was  always  opposed  by  the  Loveland  and 
Greeley  Company,  and  one  reason  for  the  farmers  buying  out  the  com- 
pany's interest  was  to  facilitate  operations. 


sT 

The  other  parties  who  filed  on  the  Boyd  Lake  site  in  L902  made 
surveys  of  the  basin,  but  whether  any  further  progress  will  he  made 
by  th<ini  in  the  construction  of  the  reservoir  is  doubtful.  Of  the  four 
filings  on  record  for  ( his  site  sill  the  amounts  claimed  have  been  less 
than  the  capacity  of  the  basin,  as  shown  by  the  Corps  of  Engineers, 
save  that  of  the  Seven  Lakes  Company^  which,  even  including  the 
Seven  Lakes,  is  far  in  excess  of  the  amount  that  can  be  stored. 


WILLOW    PARE    SITE. 

A  reservoir  site  in  sees.  31,  32,  and  33,  T.  5  X..  R.  73  W.,  and  sees. 

4.  5,  and  6,  T.  4-  N.,  R.  73  W.,  is  in  point  of  size  almost  as  important 
as  the  Boyd  Lake  site.  This  is  the  Willow  Park  site  and  embraces  a 
part  of  a  large  basin  in  the  mountains  at  the  head  waters  of  the  Big 

Thompson,  which  is  known  as  Willow  Park,  and  is  at  the  upper  end 
of  EstesPark.  One  of  the  principal  tributaries  of  the  South  and  main 
Fork  of  the  Bio- Thompson  runs  through  this  basin,  receiving  it-  Bup- 
ply  from  the  snows  on  the  Continental  Divide  near  Longs  Peak.  The 
dam  site  is  at  the  lower  end  of  this  basin  where  the  canyon  narrows, 
and  here  a  masonry  dam  of  almost  any  reasonable  height  could  he 
constructed. 

A  claim  was  tiled  in  1893  by  the  Willow  Park  Reservoir  Company 
for  1,540,032,000  cubic  feet,  or  35,492  acre-feet.  It  was  proposed  to 
make  the  dam  100  feet  high  and  about  300  feet  long,  which  would 
make  the  water  surface  cover  an  area  estimated  at  987  acres.  The 
plan  was  not  considered  advisable  with  the  price  of  stored  water  at 
that  time,  Imt  it  would  probably  be  a  paying  investment  at  the  pres- 
ent price. 

FOUR   LAKES   SITE. 

The  Horseshoe  Park  Reservoir  and  Fishing  Company  in  1890  tiled  a 
claim  for  279,951,000  cubic  feet  of  water  to  till  reservoirs  numbered 
from  1  to  5  inclusive,  in  sees.  13,  14,  and  24,  T.  5  N.,  R.  73  W.,  the 
aggregate  area  being  164  acres.  These  were  to  be  in  Estes  Park,  in 
the  mountains,  at  the  head  waters  of  the  Big  Thompson.  The}'  were 
not  constructed,  and  in  1899  the  Four  Lakes  Reservoir  Company  filed 
a  claim  for  water  for  four  of  these  sites.  The  areas  and  capacities 
given  for  the  same  basins  were  practically  the  same  as  in  the  former 
claim,  and  were  as  follows: 

Capacities  of  Four  Lakes  Reservoir  sites. 


Site. 

Area. 

Capacity. 

No.  1 

Acres. 

13 

20 

9 

81 

( 'tOiii-  fut. 

9,000,000 
24, 000, 000 
15, 000. 000 

200, 000, 000 

Acre-feet. 

207 

No.  2 

551 

No.  3 

HJ-! 

No.  4  .- -- 

1,591 

Total 

123 

•248,000,000 

5,698 

88 

NO.  1  in  this  statement  was  the  No.  2  of  the  former,  No.  1  of  the 
former  filing  not  being  included  in  this  filing.  As  yet  only  a  small 
dam  has  been  constructed,  which  forms  a  lake  for  fishing  purposes. 

It  was  proposed  to  construct  a  masonry  dam  96  feet  high  in  a  canyon 
where  it  was  only  60  feet  wide. 

MID    LAKE    SITE. 

A  natural  lake,  known  as  Mud  Lake,  at  the  west  common  corner  of 
Bees.  7  and  is.  T.  4  N.,  R.  69  AW.  has  been  considered  with  a  view  to 
making  it  supplement  the  flow  of  the  Handy  Ditch.  The  objections 
to  its  development  are  that  it  is  small  and  that  its  filling  could  not  be 
depended  upon.  The  site  is  just  outside  the  foothills,  and  at  one  time 
other  parties  constructed  an  inlet  ditch  one-quarter  mile  long-  from 
Dry  Creek,  a  tributary  of  the  Little  Thompson.  A  curved  masonry 
dam  15  feet  high,  carelessly  constructed,  extends  across  the  channel 
at  the  point  of  diversion.  The  stream  is  dry  most  of  the  time,  but 
floods  occur  occasionally  and  the  channel  back  of  the  dam  has  been 
filled  in  with  sand.  The  floods  are  so  uncertain  that  seasons  pass  with- 
out any,  and  they  are  of  so  short  a  duration  that  the  ditch  would  have 
to  be  enlarged  to  be  of  any  service. 

The  basin  would  require  no  embankment  and  a  survey  has  shown 
that  by  cutting  through  the  bank  30  feet  of  water  covering  75  acres 
could  be  drawn  off  and  run  into  the  Handy  Ditch. 

OTHER   PROPOSED    SITES. 

A  claim  was  filed  in  1899  Irv  the  Bear  Lake  Reservoir  Company  for 
2,350,576  cubic  feet  or  54  acre-feet  for  a  reservoir  to  be  constructed  in 
the  mountains  at  the  headwaters  of  the  Big  Thompson  in  T.  -IN.,  R. 
71  W.  This  site  was  never  developed.  Another  site  for  a  mountain 
reservoir  is  at  the  junction  of  the  North  and  South  Forks  of  the  Big 
Thompson. 

Two  natural  lakes,  one  in  see.  13,  T.  -1  X.,  R.,  69  W.,  and  the  other 
in  sec.  18,  T.  -A  X.,  R.  68  W.,  might  be  used  for  storage  by  running 
water  into  them  from  the  Handy  Ditch,  but  there  are  some  objections 
to  their  development.  Both  would  require  cuts  20  feet  deep  for  some 
distance  to  drain  the  water,  probably  a  rather  expensive  work  for  the 
amount  of  water  they  would  hold,  and  they  are  situated  too  low  to 
cover  any  land  under  the  Handy  Ditch.  The  water  could  be  used  on 
land  along  the  Little  Thompson  east  of  them.  At  present  each  basin 
contains  about  10  feet  of  seepage  water  covering  10  acres  and  each 
could  be  filled  to  twice  that  depth,  when  the  water  would  cover  100 
acres  more. 

A  claim  was  filed  in  1891:  for  1,350,000  cubic  feet  or  31  acre-feet  for 
the  Big  Hollow  Reservoir  in  sec.  27,  T.  5  X.,  R.  68  W.,  and  one  in 
L898  for  3,500,000 cubic  feet  or  so  acre-feet  for  the  Allen  Reservoir  in 
sec.  <>.  T.  1  X..  R.  67  W.     Both  of  these  sites  are  in  draws  in  the  Big 


89 

Thompson  drainage  area  and,  requiring  <l:un>.  would  be  expensive 
compared  with  their  usefulness.  Ii  is  nol  probable  that  they  will  ever 
be  developed. 

A  claim  was  filed  in  L891  for  the  Basel)  Reservoir  in  sec.  LO,T.  5  X.. 
K.  68  W.,  for  L,469, 000  cubic  feel  or34  acre  feet.  The  reservoir  bas  ao1 
been  constructed,  and  as  the  site  is  in  a  draw  it  is  not  a  good  one. 

A  site  in  sees.  9  and  1".  T.  5  N..  R.  69  \\\.  on  land  owned  by  A.  S. 
Benson  and  A.  Hist,  could  be  used  for  filling  from  the  Louden  Canal. 
The  site  was  surveyed  in  L901,  and  it  was  determined  thai  by  con- 
structing a  small  embankment  L5  feel  of  water  covering  77  acre-  could 
be  stored. 

The  Sanhom  Reservoir  sites  N<».  1  and  2  are  in  sees.  L3  and  11.  T. 
5  N.,R.  66  W.  A  claim  for  No.  1  of  9,104,000  cubic  feel  or  209 
acre-feet,  covering  25  acres,  and  one  for  No.  2  for  13,068,000  cubic 
feet  or  300  acre-feet,  covering  30  acre-.  was  made  in  L898.  No  work  has 
been  done  at  No.  1,  and  the  embankment  at  NO.  2  was  not  completed. 
It  was  proposed  to  pipe  water  from  No.  2  to  the  town  of  Greeley  for 
domestic  purposes, since  the  reservoir,  being  on  the  bluffs,  would  give 
the  necessary  pressure.  It  would  be  tilled  from  the  Loveland  and 
Greeley  Canal  and  by  seepage. 

A  site  in  sec.  2,  T.  5  N.,  R.  69  W.,  owned  by  George  W.  A 1  ford, 
could  be  used  by  constructing  a  small  embankment  and  filling  the 
basin  from  the  Louden  Ditch. 

Other  small  sites  which  have  been  tiled  on  but  have  apparently  not 
been  developed  and  used  areas  follows:  Humphreys  Reservoir,  in  sec. 
33,  T.  6  N.,  R.  09  W.;  Taylor  and  Case  Reservoir,  in  sec.  26,  T.  5  X.. 
R.  69  AY.;  Finch  Reservoir,  in  sees  27  and  28,  T.  5  X..  R.  68  YV.: 
Samuels  Reservoir,  in  sees.  35  and  36.  T.  5  X..  R.  68  W.;  Xix  Reser- 
voir, in  sec.  1.  T.  4  N.,  R.  69  W.,  and  sec.  (3.  T.  4-  X.,  R.  68  W.,  and 
Goodwin  Reservoir,  in  sec.  3.  T.  4  X..  R.  69  YV. 

CONSTRUCTION  WORK. 

In  few  places  are  there  as  many  natural  reservoir  sites  as  on  the 
plains  between  the  mountains  and  South  Platte  River  in  northern 
Colorado.  These  sites  are  natural  depressions,  which  have  bottoms 
almost  impervious  to  water,  indicating  that  at  one  time  they  held 
water.  Many  of  these  basins  require  embankments  on  one  or  more 
sides,  but  others  require  none,  and  all  that  is  necessary  is  a  cut 
through  the  natural  rim  in  which  to  build  outlet  works  with  control- 
ling gates.  The  Lone  Tree  and  Long  Pond  reservoirs,  already  de- 
scribed, belong-  to  this  type.  The  Fossil  Creek  and  (ache  la  Poudre 
reservoirs  are  representatives  of  those  where  the  whole  depth  of  water 
impounded  is  due  to  an  embankment,  while  those  which  require  both 
cuts  and  embankments  are  exemplified  in  the  Larimer  and  Weld  and 
Windsor  reservoirs.  Fig.  10  shows  cross  sections  through  the 
embankments  and  outlets  of  a  number  of  the  reservoirs  examined. 


90 

The  mosi  practicable  height  for  dams  in  the  canyons  of  mountain 
streams  must  be  determined  from  various  conditions.  The  unappro- 
priated supply  available  for  storage  may  or  may  not  all  be  required, 
although  in  this  locality  the  entire  flow  of  the  streams  can  be  profitably 
utilized  when  stored  so  that  it  can  be  used  at  the  proper  times-  The 
capacity  of  a  reservoir  probably  never  varies  directly  with  the  height 
o\'  the  dam.  since  the  surface  increases  in  area  as  in  level  Is  laised. 
The  cost  may  not  vary  directly  with  the  capacity  of  the  reservoir, 
and  must  be  considered  relative  to  the  value  of  the  stored  water,  which 
changes  from  time  to  time,  although  it  seldom  decreases.     The  height 


LITTLE   THOMPSON 


Fig.  10.— Cross  sections  of  earthen  embankments  in  Cache  la  Pondre  and  Big  Thompson  valleys. 

of  the  dam  giving-  the  minimum  cost  per  acre-foot  may  not  be  the  most 
desirable,  for  it  may  be  profitable  to  store  more  water  at  a  greater  cost 
per  unit. 

In  general  it  is  more  expedient  to  increase  the  available  holding 
capacity  of  basins  by  embankments  than  by  deep  cuts  for  the  outlets. 
because  a  certain  increase  in  depth  at  a  high  contour  gives  a  much 
greater  increase  in  capacity  than  the  same  depth  at  a  low  contour,  on 
account  of  the  great  difference  in  the  two  areas.  When  a  portion  of 
the  basin  is  below  the  outlet  it  serves  as  a  catchment  basin  for  sedi- 
ment.    This  is  not  a  feature  that  has  griven  trouble  with  any  of  the 


91 

reservoirs  described,  however,  as  the    water  usually  flows  through 

their  inlets  at  a  low  velocity. 

The  forms  of  embankments  van  to  a  considerable  degree.  The 
usual  practice  is  to  make  the  inside  -lope  rather  Hat  and  the  outside 
slope  comparatively  steep.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  inside  slopes  vary 
between  2  to  1  and  r>  to  1  and  the  outside  slopes  between  Li  to  1  and 
3  to  1.  The  inner  slopes  of  embankments  have  a  tendency  t<>  become 
flat  when  exposed  to  wave  action,  and  unless  they  are  well  riprapped 

with    stone    they  should    not    he    made    as    steep   as    the   outside   slope. 

The  pressure  of  still  water  is  perpendicular  to  any  surface,  and  when 
the  inner  slope  is  flat  the  pressure  approaches  a  vertical  pressure  on 
the  embankment,  while  it*  it  is  steep  the  pressure  approaches  a  hori- 
zontal thrust.  Earthen  embankments  usually  settle  1<»  or  li'  per  cent 
when  first  built,  and  it  has  been  the  custom  to  build  them  several  feet 
higher  than  is  accessary  as  an  allowance  for  settling. 

The  additional  height  of  embankments  above  high-water  mark  given 
for  safety  varies  from  1  to  L2  feet,  and  depends  upon  the  height  of  the 
embankment,  the  area  of  water  surface  across  which  waves  travel, 
and  the  position  of  the  embankment  relative  to  prevailing  winds. 
The  dam  of  Fossil  Creek  Reservoir  is  the  only  one  with  the  excep- 
tional height  of  12  feet  above  high-water  level,  6  feet  being  ordinarily 
considered  sufficient.  Most  of  the  embankments  are  riprapped  with 
loose  stone  extending  over  their  entire  inner  face,  although  where  the 
slope  is  not  steep  riprapping  is  necessary  only  near  the  top.  When 
the  water  level  is  low  there  is  no  such  danger  of  waves  destroying  the 
embankment  as  there  is  when  a  reservoir  is  full. 

The  outlet  works  of  the  reservoirs  described  represent  several  types. 
In  some  the  position  of  the  gate  is  at  the  upper  end  of  the  conduit, 
notably  in  the  Windsor  and  Lone  Tree  reservoirs;  and  in  a  few  cases 
the  gates  are  operated  from  towers  built  out  in  the  water,  notably 
those  of  Lake  Loveland  and  Mariano  reservoirs.  Experience  has 
shown,  however,  that  it  is  safe  to  place  gates  in  the  embankments, 
and  towers,  such  as  are  shown  in  tig.  6,  page  50,  are  unnecessary.  The 
gate  is  never  placed  at  the  lower  end  unless  the  outlet  consists  of  iron 
pipe,  with  the  sections  bolted  together,  as  in  the  case  of  the  older 
North  Poudre  reservoirs,  for  other  materials  used  will  not  stand  the 
pressure  of  the  water  on  them  when  the  reservoirs  are  full. 

The  usual  form  of  conduit  is  of  masonry,  either  arched  on  top  or 
covered  with  nagging.  It  is  always  necessary  to  use  flagging  suffi- 
ciently thick  to  support  the  weight  of  the  embankment  on  top  of  it. 
For  the  same  reason  short  spans  are  to  be  recommended.  Water 
naturally  follows  seams  between  different  materials,  and  to  prevent 
its  working  its  way  along  the  outside  of  the  conduits  masonry  or  con- 
crete collars  have  been  found  very  effective.  For  the  same  reason  it 
is  advisable  to  break  the  hard  natural  surface  of  the  ground  before 


92 

constructing  an  embankment,  bo  that  the  two  will  knit  together  with- 
out a  distinct  Beam.  Concrete  has  proven  to  be  excellent  as  a  founda- 
tion for  outlet  works  and  as  a  floor  for  conduit-. 

The  outlet  should  be  Large  enough  to  discharge  the  greatest  amount 
of  water  that  it  is  desired  to  draw  off  at  any  time.  The  amount  dis- 
charged through  an  outlet  decreases  with  the  head  of  water  above  the 
conduit,  and  an  outlet  just  large  enough  to  supply  a  certain  desired 
amount  when  the  reservoir  is  full  will  be  inadequate  when  the  water 
level  is  lowered.  The  discharge  decreases  as  the  length  of  the  outlet 
increases,  and  where  outlets  are  as  long  as  that  of  Lake  Loveland  the 
length  has  considerable  effect.  The  discharge  also  depends  in  a  meas- 
ure on  the  form  of  the  outlet,  a  round  conduit  giving  the  greatest  dis- 
charge for  the  area  of  its  cross  section.  The  roughness  of  the  conduit 
also  has  the  effect  of  decreasing  the  discharge,  but  the  friction  i-  so 
indefinite  that  the  computed  size  for  an  outlet  should  not  be  relied 
upon,  it  being  best  to  make  it  amply  large. 

Both  wooden  and  iron  gates  are  used.  "Wooden  gates  should  not 
be  made  to  lit  too  tightly  in  the  grooves  in  which  they  slide,  for  wood 
swells  when  it  is  wet,  causing  the  gates  to  bind.  Grooves  are  neces- 
sary only  to  hold  the  gate  in  position  over  the  outlet,  and  do  not  need 
to  be  designed  with  the  idea  of  making  the  gate  water-tight.  All  that 
is  necessaiy  is  that  the  surface  of  the  gate  and  the  frame  on  which  it 
slides  lit  closely,  for  the  gate  will  be  held  against  the  frame  b}T  the 
pressure  of  the  water.  Iron  gates  working  in  brass  grooves  are  found 
to  be  very  satisfactory.  The  brass  is  comparatively  soft,  and  the 
sliding  is  easier  than  in  iron  grooves. 

Where  reservoirs  are  filled  to  a  considerable  depth,  the  pressure  on 
the  gates  is  so  great  that  very  powerful  lifting  devices  are  required  to 
move  them.  The  simple  screw  is  the  most  common  arrangement, 
although  sometimes  the  mechanism  consists  of  a  combination  of  the 
screw-and-worm  gear  or  other  devices  for  multiplying  power.  Any 
arrangement  under  water  should  be  as  simple  as  possible,  for  the  iron 
parts  rust,  and  if  any  accident  occurs  it  is  difficult  to  make  repairs 
until  the  reservoir  is  emptied.  When  iron  or  steel  rods  are  used  as 
gate  stems,  it  is  necessary  to  brace  them  to  prevent  buckling  when  the 
gates  are  being  forced  down.     Wooden  stems  work  satisfactorily. 

Waste  ways  are  provided  for  reservoirs  only  when  they  are  situated 
in  running  streams  or  have  high  embankments.  Where  they  are  filled 
through  inlet  ditches  with  the  proper  head  gates,  the  supply  can  be 
easily  regulated  to  prevent  overflow. 

The  necessit}^  of  making  large  reservoir  inlet  ditches  is  coming  to 
be  recognized.  As  the  number  of  reservoirs  increases  the  available 
supply  of  the  streams  becomes  more  nearly  all  appropriated,  and  res- 
ervoirs having  late  priorities  must  have  inlets  large  enough  to  take  the 
flood  waters  while  they  last  in  order  that  these  reservoirs  may  be  filled. 
It   is   not   expected  that   some  of  the  later  reservoirs  will  be  filled 


93 

every  year,  for  the  limit  <>n  both  streams  under  consideration  for  a 
season  of  ordinary  water  supply  is  nearly  reached,  and  the  proposed 
reservoirs  are  now  known  as  flood  reservoirs.  In  order  thai  the 
entire  supply  of  the  streams  may  be  put  to  a  beneficial  use.  all  reser 
voir  inlets  should  be  Large,  for  while  the  total  storage  capacity  may 
equal  the  volume  discharged  by  the  streams  during  all  the  seasons,  [| 
it  can  not  all  be  saved  it*  at  any  one  time  the  discharge  of  the  stream 
exoeeds  the  combined  capacities  of  all  the  inlets.  Even  should  this 
condition  prevail,  it  might  so  happen  that  certain  reservoirs  were 
already  full  and  that  the  inlets  of  the  remaining  ones  would  not 
carry  all  the  water  in  the  streams  during  a  Hood. 

LAWS  GOVERNING  STORAGE  AND  EXCHANGE  OF  WATER. 

The  general  irrigation  law  passed  in  is7i>  provided  that  persons 
desiring  to  construct  and  maintain  reservoirs  might  take  from  the 
streams  of  the  State  for  storage  purposes  "any  unappropriated  water 
not  needed  for  immediate  use  for  domestic  or  irrigating  purposes," 

construct  inlet  and  outlet  ditches,  and  condemn  Lands  for  the  reser- 
voirs and  ditches  in  the  same  manner  as  for  right  of  way  for  ditches. 
A  law  passed  in  L901  makes  more  emphatic  the  provision  that  direct 
irrigation  has  first  call  on  the  water  supply  by  stating  that  "the 
owners  or  possessors  of  reservoirs  shall  not  have4  the  right  to  impound 
any  water  whatever  in  such  reservoirs  during  the  time  that  such 
water  is  required  in  ditches  for  direct  irrigation  or  for  reservoirs 
holding  senior  rights."  This  law  leaves  available  for  storage  the 
water  carried  by  streams  in  excess  of  the  volume  required  by  the 
ditches  taking  water  direct  to  the  fields,  and  the  flow  of  the  streams 
during  seasons  of  the  year  when  irrigation  is  not  going  on. 

Reservoirs  may  be  built  in  the  channels  of  streams,  hut  they  are 
subject  to  the  same  restrictions  as  others  regarding  storing  water 
when  it  is  needed  for  direct  irrigation  and  therefore  must  maintain 
the  natural  flow  of  the  stream.  In  order  to  enable  the  irrigation  offi- 
cials to  be  sure  this  is  being  done,  such  reservoirs  must  be  surveyed  so 
as  to  show  their  capacities  at  each  foot  of  depth  and  gage  rods  must 
be  established.  The  State  engineer  may  waive  this  requirement  and 
require  only  measuring  flumes  or  weirs.  Owners  of  reservoirs  may 
turn  stored  water  into  the  streams  of  the  State  and  retake  it  below, 
less  a  reasonable  percentage  for  loss  in  conveyance  from  the  reservoir 
to  the  place  of  use. 

Owners  of  reservoirs  are  liable  for  damage  caused  by  leakage,  over- 
flow, or  breaks  in  embankments. 

Rights  to  store  water  are  adjudicated  by  the  district  courts  in  the 
same  way  as  other  water  rights,  and  are  enforced  by  the  regular 
irrigation  officials. 

The  exchange  of  water  which  has  been  referred  to  in  the  descrip- 
tions of  some  of  the  reservoirs  is  an  important  feature  of  reservoir 


94 

operation,  for  upon  it  depends  the  success  of  many  of  the  systems  of 
reservoirs  now  in  use.  Most  of  the  reservoirs  are  so  situated  that 
they  can  not  be  both  filled  by  and  emptied  into  the  same  canal.  A 
system  of  exchange  has  therefore  been  inaugurated,  which  was  the 
outcome  of  necessity,  just  as  the  storage  of  water  was.  At  first 
the  exchange  of  water  was  neither  regulated  nor  prohibited  by  any  law 
of  tlie  State,  and  the  arrangements  were  simply  mutual  agreements 
between  the  several  parties,  and  as  uninterested  parties  were  not 
affected  no  objections  were  made.  In  L897  a  law  was  passed  regulating 
the  exchange  of  water.  Reservoir  owners  are  permitted  to  run  water 
from  their  reservoirs  into  ditches  below  or  into  natural  streams  for 
the  use  of  other  appropriators,  and  to  take  in  exchange  from  the 
stream  farther  up  an  equal  amount  less  a  certain  percentage,  deter- 
mined by  the  State  engineer,  to  he  deducted  for  loss.  The  parties 
desiring  the  exchange  are  required  to  construct  and  maintain  devices 
for  measuring  the  stored  water  run  into  a  ditch  or  stream,  and  it  is 
the  duty  of  water  commissioners  to  measure  the  water  and  oversee  the 
exchange. 

SUMMARY  OF  RESULTS. 

The  usual  time  for  using  stored  water  in  the -Cache  la  Poudre  and 
Big  Thompson  valleys  is  between  the  middle  of  July  and  the  middle 
of  September  for  the  irrigation  of  potatoes,  sugar  beets,  cabbage, 
onions,  fall  wheat,  and  the  third  crop  of  alfalfa.  While  water  is  used 
to  some  extent  directly  from  the  rivers  in  irrigating  these  crops, 
water  is  as  often  drawn  from  the  reservoirs  in  the  earlier  season  for 
the  irrigation  of  other  crops.  It  is  therefore  considered  that  these 
crops  are  the  result  of  the  stored  water,  since  they  could  not  be 
matured  without  it.  Potatoes  and  sugar  beets  are  the  main  crops, 
and  they  depend  almost  entirely  on  stored  water.  The  entire  discharge 
of  the  Cache  la  Poudre  for  August  and  September.  1901,  was  less  than 
one-half  the  volume  stored  in  the  reservoirs.  Three  reservoirs  on  the 
Big  Thompson  hold  more  water  than  the  stream  has  discharged  between 
July  15  and  September  1.  on  the  average,  for  the  past  eight  years. 
Without  the  reservoirs  it  would  be  impossible  to  raise  the  most  valu- 
able crops. 

Greeley  has  almost  a  national  reputation  for  its  potatoes,  although 
the  potato  district  is  by  no  means  confined  to  its  immediate  vicinity; 
Loveland  is  known  by  its  berries  and  small  fruits,  and  onions  and  cab- 
bage have  long  been  successfully  raised,  but  not  until  1901  were  sugar 
beets  raised.  Sugar  beets,  like  potatoes,  require  late  water.  The 
Loveland  sugar  factory  was  constructed  in  1901  and  received  66,000 
tons  of  beets  that  year  from  the  north-central  portion  of  the  State. 
The  next  year  factories  were  constructed  at  Greeley  and  at  Eaton,  and 
with  the  beginning  of  1903  work  was  commenced  on  another  at  Fort 
Collins. 


The  crop  returns  for  the  season  of  L901  were  somewhat  above  the 
average.  The  yields  of  the  crops  though  not  excessive  were  fair,  but 
prices  were  high,  which  made  more  than  an  average  profit  to  the  fanners. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  season  of  L  902  was  probably  the  most  disastrous 
in  th*'  history  of  the  two  valleys.  The  water  supply  was  almost,  if  not 
quite,  the  smallest  since  irrigation  began.  A  hailstorm  greatly  damaged 
potatoes  and  sugar  beets,  especially  about  the  town  of  Eaton,  where 
there  is  some  of  the  host  land  in  the  valleys.  But  one  of  the  most 
unfortunate  occurrences  for  the  crops  was  a  severe  frosl  early  in  Sep 
tember  at  a  critical  period  in  the  growth  of  potatoes.  If  the  returns  of 
the  two  seasons  were  averaged  the  result  would  be  below  the  usual  yield. 

In  1901  the  average  price  paid  to  the  farmers  for  potatoes  was  $1.25 
per  sack.  One  sack  contains  approximately  2  bushels,  or  from  llu 
to  L15  pounds.  Cabbage  was  worth  To  cents  per  100  pound-  and 
onions  $1.50  per  LOO  pounds.  Wheat  brought  s<)  cents  per  bushel  and 
alfalfa  $3.50  per  ton.  The  sugar  company  at  Loveland  contracted  to 
pay  $4.50  per  ton,  delivered,  for  sugar  beets  for  three  years. 

Six  thousand  live  hundred  acres  of  potatoes  were  irrigated  from  the 
Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir,  the  average  yield  being  85  sacks  per  acre. 
The  value  of  this  potato  crop  was  $690,625.  One  right  in  the  reservoir 
rented  for  $90.  If  all  the  375  rights  had  rented  at  this  rate  the  total 
income  from  the  reservoir  would  have  been  $33,750.  Deducting 
$1,000,  the  expense  of  maintenance,  there  remain-  $32,750  as  a  net 
income  from  an  investment  of  $105,000,  or  31  per  cent.  One  right  in 
the  Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir  is  held  at  $650,  and  the  whole  reservoir 
is  worth  $243,750  on  this  basis. 

From  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir  3,720  acres  of  potatoes  were 
irrigated,  yielding  an  average  of  95  sacks  per  acre.  Therefore,  the 
total  number  of  sacks  was  353.4(H),  which,  at  the  average  price  for  the 
season,  were  worth  $441,750.  This  reservoir  cost  &69.97S.31.  The 
price  of  one  of  the  186  rights  was  from  »l,20o  to  £1,300  i„  190]  and 
from  $1,200  to  $1, 400  in  1902.  The  total  value  of  the  reservoir  is 
estimated  at  $241,800. 

It  is  estimated  that  6,250  acres  of  potatoes  were  irrigated  from  the 
Windsor  Reservoir.  The  average  yield  per  acre  was  25  Backs,  giving 
$195,312.50  as  the  total  value  of  the  crop.  One  right  in  the  reservoir 
irrigates  25  acres  of  potatoes.  One  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  sugar 
beets  were  irrigated  from  the  reservoir  with  an  average  yield  of  12| 
tons  per  acre,  making  the  whole  crop  worth  $8,437.50.  Three-tifths 
of  the  Windsor  Reservoir  sold  in  1902  for$100, On  that  basis  it- 
whole  value  is  $166,667,  or  more  than  three  times  its  cost  of  $50,000. 

The  number  of  acres  of  potatoes  irrigated  from  the  Water  Supply 
and  Storage  Company's  reservoirs  in  190]  was  5,500,  on  which  the 
average  yield  was  90  sacks  per  acre.  A  single  right  in  these  reser- 
voirs irrigated  11  acres  of  potatoes.  Stored  water  was  also  used  on 
the  third  crop  of  alfalfa. 


96 

The  total  Dumber  of  acres  irrigated  under  the  North  Poudre  system 
in  L901  was  2,863,  of  which  L,500  acres  were  in  alfalfa,  000  acres  in 
wheat.  400  aero  in  barley,  LOO  acres  in  oats.  200  acres  in  natural  hay, 
30  acres  in  potatoes,  30  acres  in  sorghum,  and  3  acres  in  sugar  beets. 
Two  hundred  acres  of  alfalfa  were  left  for  seed  and  the  rest  produced 
2,600  tons,  worth  $9,100.  Wheat  averaged  28  bushels  per  acre.  All 
the  crops  u^cd  stored  water. 

The  water  stored  in  Lake  Love! and  and  the  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir 
in  1901  was  used  on  2. 1<X>  acres  of  potatoes*  the  average  yield  being 
S<  I  sacks  per  acre.  The  total  number  of  sacks  was  168,000,  with  an 
estimated  value  of  $210,000. 

Six  acres  of  potatoes  under  Lake  Loveland  sold  for  $1,380  and  40 
acres  irrigated  from  Lake  Loveland  and  the  Seven  Lakes  Reservoir 
yielded  4,530  sacks  of  100  pounds  each.  One  hundred  and  sixty  acres 
of  potatoes  irrigated  from  these  reservoirs  yielded  100  sacks  per  acre, 
which  brought  a  cash  return  of  $1*25  per  acre.  Eight  hundred  acres 
of  sugar  beets  were  irrigated  under  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  Canal, 
with  an  average  yield  of  15  tons  per  acre.  Three  reservoir  rights  in 
Lake  Loveland  was  the  sole  dependence  of  92  acres  of  sugar  beets  near 
Loveland.  The  cost  of  production  was  81,800.  which  includes  812  per 
acre  paid  for  the  removal  of  alfalfa  roots.     The  net  profit  was  81,200. 

Fall  wheat  was  one  of  the  largest  crops  under  the  Home  Supply 
system  in  1901.  It  is  estimated  that  there  were  3,000  acres.  The 
average  yield  per  acre  was  42  bushels.  The  number  of  acres  in  sugar 
beets  was  500,  on  which  the  yield  averaged  over  15  tons  per  acre,  and 
was  larger  than  for  any  other  system  on  either  the  Big  Thompson  or 
Cache  la  Poudre.  The  average  profit  to  the  farmers  under  the  system 
on  sugar  beets  was  840  per  acre.  Potatoes  averaged  150  sacks  per 
acre,  but  the  acreage  under  the  system  in  this  crop  was  small. 

Under  the  Little  Thompson  Reservoir  complete  statistics  regarding 
the  potatoes  grown  were  gathered  in  1901.  The  total  number  of  acres 
was  96,  and  the  total  number  of  sacks  was  1,079,  making  an  average  of 
135  sacks  per  acre.  The  best  average  was  1ST  sacks  per  acre  on  15 
acres,  and  the  lowest  was  90  sacks  per  acre  on  25  acres.  Some  water 
from  the  reservoir  was  also  used  on  wheat  and  alfalfa,  and  the  average 
yield  for  the  former  was  30  bushels  per  acre,  and  for  the  latter  4  tons 
per  acre.  There  was  never  a  paying  crop  on  these  same  lands  until 
after  the  construction  of  the  reservoir. 

Loveland  Lake  furnishes  water  for  about  2,000  acres  of  some  of  the 
best  land  under  the  Handy  Ditch.  Fall  wheat  is  the  larges£  crop,  but 
the  yields  in  1901  were  not  so  great  as  for  the  same  crop  under  the 
Home  Supply  Canal.  About  800  acres  are  irrigated  from  the  Welch 
reservoirs,  Xos.  1,  2.  and  5. 

In  1902  the  average  price  of  potatoes  was  60  cents  per  sack.  The 
Greeley  sugar  factory  agreed  to  pay  84.50  per  ton,  delivered,  for  sugar 


97 

beets  for  a  term  of  five  years,  and  the  Baton  factory  contracted  to  pay 
$5  per  ton  for  the  beets  for  three  year-. 

In  1902  about  the  same  number  of  acres  of  potatoes  was  irrigated 
from  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir  as  in  L901.  The  average  was  W 
sacks  per  acre.    One  field  Dear  Windsor  averaged  80  sacks  per  acre. 

Potatoes  irrigated  from  the  Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir  averaged 
from  30  to  35  sacks  per  acre  on  a  slightly  less  acreage  than  the  former 
season.     Sugar  beets  irrigated  from  the  reservoir  averaged   l".  tons 

per  acre.  Crops  under  t  hi>  system  did  not  suffer  SO  much  in  L902  as 
those   under  other  systems  on   account    of  the   good  supply  of   -t<>ivd 

water.  Potatoes  averaged  50  sacks  per  acre,  except  at  the  lower  end 
near  Eaton.     Wheat  under  this  system  averaged  40  bushels  per  acre. 

The  Water  Supply  and  Storage  Company  sold  90,000,000  cubic  feet 
of  stored  water  from  their  reservoir  for  $9,000,  or  $4.36  per  acre-foot. 
One  right  in  the  company  .is  valued  at  $2,250.  On  this  basis  their 
system  is  worth  $1,350,000.  At  least  one-half  of  this  should  lie 
attributed  to  the  storage  system,  which  cost  only  $110,052. 

No  potatoes  were  raised  under  the  North  Poudre  system.  The  total 
number  of  acres  under  cultivation  was  3,200,  of  which  2,500  acres 
were  in  alfalfa.  The  North  Poudre  Irrigation  Company  sold  27  J  H  ><  ».<  M  M » 
cubic  feet  of  water  from  their  reservoirs  in  1902  for  $2,700,  or  $4.36 
per  acre-foot. 

The  average  yield  of  potatoes  under  the  Loveland  and  Greeley  (  anal 
was  35  sacks  per  acre.  Eight  hundred  acres  of  beets  were  irrigated, 
averaging  13  tons  per  acre.  Fall  wheat  under  the  upper  portion  of 
the  canal  near  Loveland  averaged  4:0  bushels  per  acre. 

In  1902  the  fall  wheat  gave  way  largely  to  sugar  beets  under  the 
Home  Supply  system,  there  being  3,000 acres  of  the  latter.  The  aver- 
age yield  was  13  tons  per  acre  and  the  entire  crop  was  worth  $195,000. 
The  average  for  fall  wheat  was  30  bushels  per  acre. 

In  1901  one  share  in  the  Home  Supply  Company  sold  for  S(.<o.  but 
in  L902,  on  account  of  the  increasing  demand  for  water  for  sugar 
beets,  it  advanced  to  $125  and  $150.  The  system  is  valued  at  $300,  L50, 
of  which  two-thirds  may  be  attributed  to  the  reservoirs.  Our  share 
rented  for  $12.50  in  1901,  but  in  L902  the  price  was  $20  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  season.  If  all  the  shares  were  rented  at  the  latter  figure, 
the  income  would  be  $400,200.  The  cost  of  the  reservoirs  was  only 
$25,500. 

All  crops  under  the  Little  Thompson  Reservoir  used  the  stored 
water.  The  average  yield  of  wheat  was  42  bushels  per  acre,  of  alfala  3 
tons  per  acre,  of  oats  45  bushels  per  acre,  of  barley  4">  bushels  per 
acre,  of  onions  300  bushels  per  acre,  and  the  only  tract  of  sugar  beets 
produced  22  tons  per  acre. 

The  water  drawn  from  Loveland  Lake  was  used  on  1,500  acres  of 
fall  wheat.  350  acres  of  sugar  beets,  and  some  potatoes.  The  yields 
688— No.  134—03 7 


of  all  were  fair,  that  for  tin4  wheat  feeing  30  bushels  per  acre.  Wheat 
on  one  farm  irrigated  from  the  Welch  reservoirs  yielded  35  bushels 
per  acre.  There  are  approximately  2.4<><>  acres  under  the  Farmers' 
Irrigating  Canal,  and  all  the  late  crops  would  have  been  lost  had  it 
not  been  for  the  Lawn  Reservoir. 

Produce  dealers  estimate  that  6,500  carloads  of  potatoes  are  shipped 
from  Greeley  annually,  valued  at  (350  per  car.  or  having  a  total  value 
of  82,275,000.  The  value  of  the  same  product  shipped  from  Loveland 
is  claimed  to  be  (20,000  annually.  Potatoes  are  usually  sold  by  the 
farmers  in  the  sack.  It  is  estimated  that  the  average  yield  for  the 
Cache  la*  Poudre  Valley  in  1901  was  85  sacks  per  acre.  In  1902  the 
average  was  probably  not  over  4o  sacks  per  acre. 

The  number  of  acres  of  sugar  beets  raised  for  the  Loveland  factory 
in  the  Big  Thompson  Valley  in  1901  was  2,300  and  in  the  Cache 
la  Poudre  Valley  1,200.  The  average  yield  for  the  former  was  15 
tons  per  acre  and  for  the  latter  13t  tons  per  acre,  giving  the  total 
number  of  the  sugar  beets  on  the  Big  Thompson  as  34,500  tons  and 
on  the  Cache  la  Poudre  16,200  tons.  The  crop  on  the  Big  Thompson 
was  worth  (155,250  and  on  the  Cache  la  Poudre  $72,900.  In  1902  the 
same  factory  received  a  total  of  116,000  tons  of  sugar  beets — 60,000 
tons,  worth  $270,000,  coming  from  the  Big  Thompson  and  30,000 
tons,  worth  $135,000,  from  the  Cache  la  Poudre.  One  tract  of  15 
acres  produced  an  average  of  over  32  tons  per  acre.  The  value  of 
this  crop  was  $144  per  acre.  The  total  number  of  acres  of  sugar 
beets  raised  in  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley  in  1902  was  8.500.  It  is 
estimated  that  the  Greeley  factory  received  35,000  tons.  A  large  part 
of  these  were  raised  under  the  Cache  la  Poudre  No.  2  and  No.  3  canals. 
The  crop  averaged  10  tons  to  the  acre. 

The  estimate  of  the  quantity  of  beets  received  by  the  Eaton  factory 
in  the  same  year  was  20,000  tons.  Most  of  these  were  raised  under 
the  Larimer  and  Weld  and  Larimer  County  canals,  and  on  account  of 
the  hailstorm  in  the  vicinity  of  Eaton  the  average  yield  was  probably 
not  over  8  tons  per  acre. 

In  1901  onions  averaged  200  sacks  per  acre.  Five  acres  of  onions 
near  Greeley  produced  1,920  sacks,  which  sold  for  £1.15  per  100  pounds. 
Another  5-acre  tract  produced  1,200  sacks,  which  sold  for  £2  per  100 
pounds.     One  farm  near  Fort  Collins  produced  300  sacks  per  acre. 

The  produce  dealers  estimate  that  350  cars  of  onions  were  shipped 
from  Greeley  in  1902  and  that  the  average  yield  for  the  district  was 
135  sacks  per  acre.  In  this  year  14  acres  on  one  farm  produced  6.000 
sacks,  and  4i  acres  of  the  same  tract  produced  2.104  sacks,  averaging 
110  pounds  per  sack. 

Cabbage  yielded  20,000  pounds  per  acre  in  1901.  Two  hundred  and 
fifty  cars  were  shipped  from  Greeley  in  1902,  when  the  average  yield 
was  10,000  pounds  per  acre.  One  tract  produced  30,000  pounds  to 
the  acre. 


Alfalfa  averaged  5  tons  per  acre  in 'the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley  in 
L901,  but  only  the  third  cutting  caiMfe  attributed  to  the  stored  water. 

It  is  estimated  that  from  15,000  to  18,000  crates  of  berries,  worth 
$25,000,  are  shipped  from  Loveland  annually.  The  value  of  apples 
shipped  from  the  same  place  is  estimated  to  be  $10,000.  There  are 
1,500  acres  of  fruit  trees  in  the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley,  which  were 
irrigated  as  early  as  March  1  and  frequently  after  September  1. 
Before  stored  water  was  available  for  orchard  irrigation  many  trees 
died  each  year. 

In  a  few  cases  in  1902  stored  water  sold  for  $150  per  million  cubic 
feet,  or  $6.53  per  acre-foot,  although  this  charge  was  excessive.  The 
common  price  in  that  }Tear  was  $100  per  million  cubic  feet,  or  £4.36 
per  acre-foot.  If  all  the  reservoirs  were  tilled  on  this  basis,  the  stored 
water  on  the  Cache  la  Poudre  would  be  worth  $428,000  and  on  the 
Big  Thompson  $173,000. 

The  best  estimates  give  $1,000,000  as  the  worth  of  the  reservoirs  to 
the  Cache  la  Poudre  Valley  each  year  and  $500,000  as  the  worth  of 
those  in  the  Big  Thompson  Valley  each  year. ' 

The  following  tables  give  the  depth,  areas,  capacities,  cost,  and  cost 
per  acre-foot  of  storage  capacities  for  the  principal  reservoirs  on  the 
Cache  la  Poudre  and  Big  Thompson  rivers.  It  is  obvious  that  the 
average  cost  of  construction  per  acre- foot  for  the  reservoirs  is  but 
little  more  than  the  highest  selling  price  of  1  acre-foot  of  stored  water 
in  1902. 

Reservoir  data  on  Cache  la  Poudre  Hirer. 


Name  of  reservoir. 

Owner. 

Depth. 

Area.    Capacity. 

Cost        Cost  per 
^osl-      acre-foot. 

Cache  la  Poudre 

Larimer  and  Weld 

Cache  la  Poudre  Reservoir  Co. 
Larimer  and  Weld  Reservoir 

Co. 
Windsor  Reservoir  and  Canal 

Co. 
Water  Supply  and  Storage  Co. 
do 

Feet. 
31 
31 

30 

30 

29.5 
11 
19 

8 

9 
11 
14 
25 
26 
15 
20 

Acres.    Acre-feet. 
600           8, 03-5 
470           6, 887 

700         11  70S 

8105, 000 
69, 978 

.^n  noo 

S13. 07 
10.17 

4.27 

226 
230 
128 

83 
106 
113 
180 

80 
300 
155 
147 
495 

1 
4,726   1 

3,  922 

1,026 

9% 

716 

778 

1,259 

674 

5,000 

2,550 

1,074 

5, 740 

11,478 

4,477 

11.47S 

lit.  547 

689 

896 

689 

•    50,000 

Nob.  2  and  3 

do 

No.  4 

...do _'... 

4.11 

...do 

Curtis  Lake 

do 

Chambers  Lake 

do 

60, 052 
3,000 
<7,500 
5,000 
5,000 
2,000 
13,000 
6,000 
160,000 

47.70 

No.  1 

North  Poudre  Irrigation  Co... 
do 

4.45 

No.  2 

1.50 

No.  3 

do....           

1.9fi 

No.  4 

....do... 

4.66 

No.  5 

do... 

.36 

No.  6  . . 

...do... 

30              572 

1.13 

Coal  Creek  . . 

....do... 

175 
705 

1.34 

Fossil  Creek 

do 

38 

14.22 

Douglas 

Poudre  Valley  Reservoir  Co  . . . 

Warren  Lake  Reservoir  Co 

Pleasant  Valley  and  Lake  Ca- 
nal Co. 

30              586 

8              187 

69 

6               IfiO 

50,000               4.74 

Warren  Lake 

"8,000  ;        "11.61 

Claymore  Lake 

"2.000            "2.23 

1    COO                    1    Jr. 

Wood 

A.  J.  Eaton 

160 
fi7 

J,  755             'A  000                   .73 

Larimer  and  Weld  Irrigation 
Co. 

8 

321 

«1  000           "3  12 

Total 

6,694         98,421 

654, 530 

Average 

20.  5 

6.99 

1 

"Estimated. 


100 

Reservoir  3ata  on  Big  Thompson  River 


Name  of  reservoir. 

Owner. 

Depth. 

Area.    Capacity.     Cost.      °o«per 

Lakf  Loveland 

Lone  Tree 

Greeley  and  Loveland  Irriga- 
tion Co. 

lidated    Home    Bupply 
Ditch  and  Reservoir  Co. 

do 

Feet. 
10 

16.5 

192        is  .'-212 

1,11)            9.002 

1125,000           Sy.ir. 
15, 000                1  - 1',7 

Mariano 

16.5           873           4.140 

10,000 
30,000 
13.000 
nS.000 

2.54 

Lakes,  No.l 

Lakes.  Nos.2-7.. 

Lov<  land  Lake 

Welch,  Nos.  1.  •'.  and  ">. . 

Seven  Lakes  Reservoir  Co 

do 

Loveland  Lake  and  Ditch  Co. 
C.C.Welch 

28 

6 
19 
16 
20 

12 

31 

20 

1,148 

160            1 . 722 
■mix          2,948 

8.71 
10.80 

n  2.  72 

it 

Big  Cut  Lateral  and  Reservoir 
Co. 

Farmers'    Irrigating,    Ditch, 
and  Reservoir  Co. 

Little    Thompson    Reservoir 
and  Water  Supply  Co. 

Boulder  and  Larimer  Ditch. 
Reservoir,  and  Manufactur- 
ing Co. 

76         1.142     mn  nnn 

100             992 

100               987 
280           1.722 

12.000 

18,000 

"  15,  000 

12  10 

Little  Thompson 

18.24 

B    71 

Total 

3. 079         39, 794       ''fit-..  500 

,0 

v  29 

"Estimated. 


CONCLTJSldNS. 


Stored  water  has  produced  far  more  satisfactory  results  than  would 
have  been  realized  from  direct  irrigation  alone.  It  is  the  most  val- 
uable water  because  it  is  used  on  the  most  valuable  crops,  and  justifies 
investments  in  storage  works  giving  a  high  cost  for  the  volume  of 
water  stored. 

Simple  and  substantial  works  are  the  most  efficient,  and  earthen 
embankments,  uniform  throughout,  are  especially  adapted  to  the  gen- 
eral type  of  reservoir  used  in  the  locality  where  this  investigation  was 
made. 

Reservoir  inlets  should  have  large  carrying  capacities,  in  order  that 
the  greatest  amount  of  water  may  be  stored. 

The  most  desirable  manner  of  operating  private  storage  works  is  by 
cooperation  on  the  part  of  the  irrigators  who  use  the  stored  water. 

It  is  necessary  for  the  public  welfare  that  rights  to  water  for  stor- 
age as  well  as  those  for  direct  irrigation,  should  be  well  established. 

In  one  case,  where  a  reservoir  has  been  constructed  in  the  channel 
of  a  natural  stream  supplying  appropriations  for  both  storage  and 
direct  irrigation,  more  or  less  trouble  has  been  experienced,  which 
would  seem  to  indicate  that  reservoirs  of  this  class  are  not  so  well 
adapted  for  private  construction. 

The  success  of  the  irrigators  on  the  two  streams  where  the  studies 
have  been  made  suggests  what  might  be  accomplished  in  other  locali- 
ties for  while  it  is  true  that  the  valleys  of  the  two  streams  are  par- 
ticularly suited  to  the  building  of  reservoirs  some  of  the  works  have 
had  to  be  constructed  at  a  great  expense,  and  still  they  have  been 
highly  profitable. 

O 


LIST  OF  PUBLICATIONS  OF  THE  OFFICE  OF   EXPERIMENT  STATIONS  ON 
IRRIGATION    ('""tin,.., I. 

I  "i  124.  Reporl  of  Irrigation  Investigations  in  Utah,  under  the  direction  of  Elwood 
Mead,  chief,  assisted  by  R.  P.  Teele,  A.  P.  Stover,  A.  I'.  Doremug,  J.  I>. 
Stannard,  Prank  Adams,  and  <J.  L.  Swendsen.     Pp.  336.     Price,  $1.10. 

J >i 1 1 .  L30.   Irrigation  in   Egypt.     By  Clarence  T.Johnston.     Pp.  100.     In  \ 

Bui.  131.  Plana  of  structures  in  use  on  irrigation  ca*nala  in  the  United  States,  from 
drawings  exhibited  by  t Ik*  Office  of  Experiment  Stations  at  Paris,  in 
L900,  and  at  Buffalo,  in  L901,  prepared  under  the  direction  of  Elwood 
Mead,  chief.     Pp.  51.     In  press. 

Bui.  h'>-">.  Report  of  Irrigation  Investigations  for  l'.>()2,  under  the  direction  of  Elwood 
Mead,  chief.      Pp.  208.      In  press. 

FAK.MKHs'    BULLETINS. 

Bul.    46.    irrigation  in  Humid  Climates.     By  F.  II.  King.     Pp.  27. 
Bui.  I  hi.   irrigation  in  Fruit  Growing.     By  E.  J.  Wickson.     Pp.  4<s. 
Bul.  138.   Irrigation  in  Field  and  Garden.     By  E.  J.  Wickson.     Pp.40. 
Bul.  158.    Now  to   Build  Small   Irrigation  Ditches.      By  C.  T.  Johnston  and  J.   D. 
Stannard.      Pp.  28. 


y 


I 


II  Hill  Ilium,,.     . 
3  1262  08927  bv,. 


